The Science of the Summer Olympics
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The Summer Olympics are nearly here! I'm always SO impressed by the feats that these athletes accomplish. Plus, it's fun to look at the Olympic events through the eyes of physics! 🏃Have you ever wondered why sprinters use starting blocks? We're talking Newton’s first law at its best in Olympic sprinting! Sprinters are at rest before they take off running, and they need a force to cause themselves to start moving. Acceleration depends on mass and the force applied. Adding mass isn't very practical, but runners can use their leg muscles more effectively when they have a better surface to push off from. 🏅Have you ever wondered why gymnasts keep their arms close to their bodies as they fly through the air? In short, they pull their arms in to make their movements faster. Scientifically, there's a relationship between velocity and inertia. As inertia decreases, velocity increases. When a gymnast tumbles and begins to spin through the air, they pull their arms in to decrease their inertia and increase their velocity. 🏂Have you ever thought about how energy is transferred in skateboarding? It's such a classic example when you think about it. The skateboarder stands at the top of a ramp, creating potential energy that is ready to be released into action. Then the skater jumps onto their board and transfers the potential energy into kinetic energy. As the skater picks up speed, their kinetic energy increases, allowing them to fly through the air and perform stunts. The Olympics will be EPIC to watch this summer. Here are some links where you can learn even more behind-the-scenes science: I hope you enjoy thinking about the science that makes their amazing performances possible!
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