Walking faster than approximately 1.33 m/sec has what effect on energy cost?

Walking faster than approximately 1.33 m/sec has what effect on energy cost?

• A. Decreases it
• B. Eliminates it
• C. Increases it
• D. Has no effect

Answer: (C)

Walking speed around 1.3 m/s is near the pace that minimizes energy per distance. When you go faster than about 1.33 m/s, the body wastes more metabolic energy per unit of distance traveled. This happens because each step requires more muscle work and the gait becomes less mechanically efficient, so the energy you burn per meter increases. So, walking faster than that threshold raises energy cost. It doesn’t eliminate energy cost, and it does have an effect—an increasing one beyond the optimal speed.

Walking speed around 1.3 m/s is near the pace that minimizes energy per distance. When you go faster than about 1.33 m/s, the body wastes more metabolic energy per unit of distance traveled. This happens because each step requires more muscle work and the gait becomes less mechanically efficient, so the energy you burn per meter increases. So, walking faster than that threshold raises energy cost. It doesn’t eliminate energy cost, and it does have an effect—an increasing one beyond the optimal speed.