Physics of Football Essay - 2363 Words

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†¦show more content†¦When a punter kicks a football, he can control three factors: * the velocity or speed at which the ball leaves his foot * the angle of the kick * the rotation of the football The rotation of the ball (spiral) will influence how the ball slows down in flight, because the ball is affected by air drag. A spiraling kick will have less air drag, will not slow down as much, and will be able to stay in the air longer and go farther than an end-over-end kick. The velocity of the ball and the angle of the kick are the major factors that determine: * how long the ball will remain in the air (hang-time) * how high the ball will go * how far the ball will go When the ball leaves the punters foot, it is moving with a given velocity depending upon how much force he kicks the ball with. The ball moves in two directions, horizontally and vertically. Because the ball was launched at an angle, the velocity is divided into two pieces: a horizontal component and a vertical component. How fast the ball goes in the horizontal direction and how fast the ball goes in the vertical direction depend upon the angle of the kick. If the ball is kicked at a steep angle, then it will have more velocity in the vertical direction than in the horizontal direction -- the ball will go high, have a long hang-time, but travel a shortShow MoreRelatedThe Physics Of American Football1339 Words   |  6 PagesThe Physics of American Football In America, sports are an important part of the culture. People watch them for pure fun and entertain or because they simply love the game. American sports such as football all have some aspect of physics that are tied into the sport. Football is not just simply throwing a ball to a wide receiver or kicking a field goal for an extra point. 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