Physics of Sport

Catalog description

This course introduces concepts from science, particularly physics, by using illustrations from a wide variety of sports. For example, it explains why a baseball curves, why gears work on a bike, the speeds obtainable by a windsurfer or skier or tennis ball or arrow, how scuba divers survive, and a wide variety of other sports phenomena from football, golf, skiing, climbing, sailing, skating, baseball, scuba, fishing, sky-diving and so forth. The association of sports with motion, forces, and energy is explained by scientific reasoning and analysis. The course includes a small laboratory/experiential component that illustrates the scientific method, where various examples of sports are made quantitative, using readily available equipment.