The Physics of Basketball
The more and more I look around I begin to see how physics are integrated into practically everything that we do. These things would surely go unnoticed without making a conscious effort to notice them. For example simple things like riding a bike, or driving a car, or playing catch with a son or daughter. Just as these activities are loaded with elements of physics, sports are also, especially basketball. Physics play a part in every aspect of the game, from dribbling, passing, and shooting, to things as simple as setting a screen. First we should take a look at the elements of dribbling.
Dribbling is all based on conservation of energy and the two different types of collisions, elastic and inelastic. The more air pressure a basketball has inside it, the less its surface will bend or deform during a bounce, and the more its original energy will be stored in the compressed air inside (Bill Willis, 2001). The reason for this is that the air inside of the ball can return the energy of the ball better than that of the material of the ball, which is usually leather. This is the basic concept of the conservation on energy.
A reason to inflate the ball more is to produce a more elastic collision between the ball and the surface it is hitting. The more inflated the ball is the less energy is lost in the deformation of the ball, ensuring you that it will bounce back. The less energy that is lost in this process will make the collision more elastic, and produce a better bounce of the basketball.
Another aspect of basketball that relates to collisions in the very basic, but useful technique of setting a “screen” or “pick.” This collision is more of an inelastic process that involves one player runn...
... middle of paper ...
...I step foot on the floor. Sometimes I think we get lazy and don’t take the time to think about how physics affect our lives, because you don’t realize how integrated physics are in every thing we do until you have to look at things critically. With this newfound
knowledge, hopefully I will be able to play basketball just a little bit better.
Bibliography
1).Kirkpatrick, Larry D. and Wheeler, Gerald F. Physics a World View. 4th ed. Fort Worth, Philadelphia, San Diego, New York, Orlando, Austin, San Antonio, Toronto, Montreal, London, Sydney, Tokyo: Barrosse and Vondeling, 2001
2).Willis, Bill. The Physics of Basketball. 30 April 2003 http://www.geocities.com/thesciencefiles/physicsof/basketball.html
3).Unknown. The Physics of Basketball. 1 May 2003 http://www.kent.k12.wa.us/staff/trobinso/physicspages/PhysicsOf/Basketball/Physics%20of%20 Basketball.html
Jesse Owens was a great african american man who helped change the way people look at the african american these days. Without him the track and field sport would have probably taken great deal more time to change from white only to runners of all colors . Jesse Owens grew up poor, but he had the abilities to succeed with his great athletic talents. "The recognition received from his athletic accomplishments enabled him to become well known and promoted the understanding that African Americans are just as capable as any other individual." Jesse Owens was an African American athlete who ran in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. After his track and field career, Owens went back to his home town, Cleveland,
Jesse Owens' childhood was unparalleled to any other child's with how hard it was. His parents struggled to get everyone in his family fed since their family consisted of twelve people (“Jesse Owens”). Many of his siblings were too busy to help their parents because of school. Jesse Owens was still too young for school which led to Owens having to help his parents out by earning money and buying food. This was an enormous responsibility for such a young child, especially with that big of a family. What topped it all off was he was an African-American and in that time period, African-Americans were greatly judged. Owens was cheated out of many opportunities for being an African-American, but that didn't stop him as he still found ways to help his family out in any way he could. Owens was forced to become a man at a very young age and made him mature very fast.
If you think about it, it’s almost impossible to measure the force that it takes to dribble a basketball, unless you have the right tools. Let’s just think about the basic physics that you should know. In order to dribble a basketball you need to apply enough force for the ball to go from your hand to the floor and back up to your hand. When the ball is in your hand it is holding potential energy. Potential energy is the energy that is about to be transferred into kinetic energy, which is when the energy is in use. The ball is in kinetic energy after it leaves your hand and starts to fall. So the force of gravity has to be less than the force of the bounce to keep the dribbling going.
Harriet Tubman is an important figure in American history. She is remembered for her work as an abolitionist, respected for the risks she took helping the Union Army during the Civil War, as well as honored for the lasting gifts she left behind for the people of her country. Harriet Tubman may be considered a hero by many men and women, for her example of bravery and self-sacrifice is inspiring people of all races.
... hard work throughout his whole life. Most famously known for showing how you can achieve things even during times of hardship, for example segregation and discrimination. His will to live up to what he was capable of, is enough to be satisfied for and we should all be more like Jesse Owens for this reason.
Jackie Joyner is known for her determination, bravery, and of course her six Olympic medals but there is more to becoming an amazing athlete than training, you have to be dedicated. She overcame a life of little money and without having much training equipment, to live a life as an Olympian. “It’s better to look ahead and prepare, than to look back and regret.” –Jackie Joyner (Source 3)
Can you imagine playing the game of basketball without a three point line? Basketball has constantly changed throughout history and continues to change today. The National Basketball Association has risen in popularity and is now one of America’s most popular sports. Because basketball continues to be a popular sport, a fan should learn about the origin of the NBA, how the game evolved from the late 1940s to the early two thousands, and how the players today impact the way it is played.
Jesse Owens once said, “We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort.” Jesse Owens may not be very known to many people, but he made a difference that would be remembered in our everyday lives. Jesse Owens had the dream of becoming a runner, but he didn’t start out like that. Jesse Owens lived through obstacles, made a difference, and was remembered to this day.
Jesse Owens was a really good man who fought for civil rights. He was also a track and field star and was in the Olympics. Overall, he lived a good life and made a significant impact on the lives of both black and white people. A lot of people had made an impact on Jesse’s life too.
If the air pressure inside a ball is changed, then the ball with the greatest air pressure will produce the greatest bounce height. This is because having a greater air pressure means that there will be more molecules pressing and pushing against the bladder of the ball, thus, applying more force to to ball when it rebounds from the ground, and giving it a greater bounce height.
“In 1944, the National Council of Negro Women donated a Liberty ship in honor of Harriet Tubman. The ship was named S.S. Harriet Tubman, the first Liberty ship for black women, and was sent out to South Portland, Maine. She also received the National Historic Landmark status in Auburn, New York on 1974 (Harriet Tubman Bibliography).” Tubman believed that people should be free, and have the same benefits as all free people. Harriet Tubman would not rest and risked her life helping slaves to become free. In addition to helping to free slaves, Tubman also made had a huge impact during the Civil War times. Her life was very long and productive, and without Harriet Tubman’s determination, over 300 slaves would not have became
In 1976, Jesse was awarded the highest honor a civilian of the United States can receive. President Gerald R. Ford awarded him with the Medal of Freedom. Jesse overcame segregation, racism and bigotry to prove to the world that African-Americans belonged in the world of athletics. Several years later, on March 31, 1980, Jesse Owens,66, died in Tucson from complications due to cancer.
Run fast, jump far, make a difference. Many athletes give 100%, but Jesse Owens went above and beyond. He was known as the “Buckeye Bullet” because of his sprinting, hurdling, and long-jumping abilities. Jesse Owens was one of the many people that changed views on African Americans in the world of sports. He was influenced in his early life and influential in his sports career and life after the Olympics.
Many sports were invented to pass time. Basketball, the game, was one of the greatest to ever be invented. Basketball is truly an American game. It is competitive and fun. This winter indoor game has become a very popular sport among all ages.
2) Fundamentals of Physics Extended: Fifth Edition. David Hanley, Robert Resnick, Jearl Walker. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc, New York, Chichester, Brisbane, Toronto, Singapore. 1997.