it drops even more The batter takes a swing and misses Strike three The game is over Science has helped the pitcher throw the perfect pitch All sports including baseball depend on the laws of science Athletes are experts at using the laws of science to their advantage even if they do not know they are The sports we love involve more than aerodynamics or how things move through the air They involve many other IN THE REAL WORLD The Physicist Who Studied Tennis Howard Brody was a University of Pennsylvania physicist who loved tennis When oversized rackets were introduced in the 1970s Brody tested them He found the percussion center or sweet spot was closer to the center on larger rackets This made them easier for players to use Brody also proved it was better for rackets to be stiffer and for their strings to be looser than previously thought This created a greater transfer of energy between the racket and the ball The strings stretch more on impact This allows more of the energy to return to the ball 6
Science can help athletes establish good habits that help them during competition aspects of physics as well as biology chemistry and psychology Chemical Makeup It may seem obvious that biology plays a big role in sports After all biology is the study of living things and athletes are living things That makes their training medical treatment and nutrition all part of the game People who study the biology of sports 7
Scientists and engineers work to protect football players from head injuries by creating better helmets are part of a field called sports medicine They play an important role in keeping athletes healthy and performing at their best Chemistry also plays a role in sports Chemistry is the study of what substances are made of Sports scientists use chemistry to make and improve equipment They also use chemistry to help decide what foods athletes should eat Chemistry can help 8
athletes perform at their highest levels It can also help keep athletes safe The Physics of the Matter Physics is the study of matter how it moves and how it responds to forces Physics can explain the hang time of a quarterback’s pass It explains why long jumpers pump their arms like windmills during a jump And it can even answer the question of whether to Sports and Food Sports nutritionists are part of a team that works with athletes to help them perform their best Nutritionists study metabolism and nutrients for sports performance and they study how to prevent disease Metabolism has to do with how the body burns energy and manages the tissues that support life The foods we eat provide the energy needed to support breathing heart rate and basic life activities Sports nutritionists learn about what calories and nutrients athletes need to perform certain activities use a wooden or aluminum bat Physics explains why sports work the way they do Biomechanics is one part of physics It is the study of the way living things move and react to forces 9
