Modeling and Analysis of the Supporting Force of Water Strider’s Legs

In this paper, the microstructure of the water strider’s legs was observed, the lengths, diameters of the water strider’s legs were measured by the instruments such as scanning electron microscope . The supporting force model of water strider’s legs was established, the factors associated with the supporting force were analyzed. The critical conditions in which water strider’s legs do not pierce the water surface were discussed. the maximum supporting force of water strider’s single hind leg was calculated according to the supporting force model of water strider’s legs, the calculated value is 3399.13×10-6N, which is about 17 times of its body weight.