Physics of Football Essay -- physics sport sports american football

Watching a weekend football game could be teaching you something other than who threw the most passes or gained the most yards. Football provides some great examples of the basic concepts of physics! Physics is present in the flight of the ball, the motion of the players, and the force of the tackles. This web page will show you how physics applies to these areas of football. What Exactly Is Physics and What Does It Have to Do with Football? When you throw a football across the yard to your friend, you are using physics. You make adjustments for all the factors, such as distance, wind and the weight of the ball. The farther away your friend is, the harder you have to throw the ball, or the steeper the angle of your throw. This adjustment is done in your head, and it's physics. Physics is the branch of science that deals with the physical world. The area of physics that is most relevant to football is mechanics, the study of motion and its causes. The three main categories of motion that apply to the game are: * delivery of a football through the air (pass, punt, kickoff, field goal, extra point) * runners on the field (backs, receivers, linemen) * stopping runners on the field (tackling, blocking) FLIGHT OF THE BALL When the football travels through the air (long pass, punt, kickoff, field goal), it always follows a curved, or parabolic, path because the movement of the ball in the vertical direction is influenced by the force of gravity As the ball travels up, gravity slows it down until it stops briefly at its peak height, the ball then comes down, and gravity accelerates it until it hits the ground. This... ... the amount of force applied: Less force is required farther out from the center of mass than closer in. So, by tackling a runner low -- far from the center of mass -- it takes less force to tackle him than if he were tackled high. Also, if a runner is hit exactly at his center of mass, he will not rotate, but instead will be driven in the direction of the tackle. Similarly, coaches often advise linemen to stay low. This brings their center of mass closer to the ground, so an opposing player, no matter how low he goes, can only contact them near their center of mass. This makes it difficult for an opposing player to move them, because they will not rotate upon contact. This technique is critical for a defensive lineman in defending his own goal in the "red" zone, the last 10 yards before the goal line.