A Game Made For Physicists
When most people watch football, they see big hits, big plays, and spectacular athleticism. What fans usually miss is that football is a game where the laws of physics are at work, each and every play. From the force of a linebackers hit, to the projectile motion of the ball in the air, physics can be spotted everywhere on the gridiron. Throughout this physics branch of “Inside American Football”, we will be showing you how factors of Kinematics, Dynamics/Kinetics, and Energy/Work-Power play into the game of Football, and we will prove to you that a Football field really is, a Physics laboratory.
In the Kinematics section, you will have a chance to look at the physics calculations behind how a football soars through the air! You will explore the throwing velocity of top NFL quarterbacks in comparison to this week’s “Inside American Football” guest star, Sayf Al-Omaishi's throwing velocity, and our experts will show you how to find max height of a football, using physics equations and simple measurements that can easily be found. How will Sayf's arm compare?... You will also take a look at Sayf's speed compared to one of the fastest and most elusive players in the NFL today. Their max speeds and accelerations will be calculated by the physicists, and you will get to see how close (or how far) Sayf's speed is from NFL standards.
In the Dynamics/Kinetics section, you will take a look at forces and the Newtons Laws of motion. Since football is all about contact, this section is rich with applied and reaction forces, and you will have a chance to witness one of the NFL's most feared player's, and how much force they can generate. We will also give props to the kicker's in the NFL, by calculating the forces they generate and showing how they can really make a difference.
In the final major section, Energy/Work-Power, you will first go into the basic needs of every athlete, nutrition. You will see the diagram of energy transfer, and see where an athletes consumed energy goes, and where it is used. You will then go into the work and power calculations behind an O linemen's block. There are videos on the O line block, and the forces they generate. Our physicists have put together calculations of how much work an O-linemen does in a block, and how much power needed to complete their task.
Don't forget to check out the mini section on football helmets. Our professionals break down the physics behind how football helmets work, and what they do to protect you! There is also a quick clip showing the dangers of head to head contact in football, and how much a helmet can protect you from the impact.