Crunch! Oof! Well, That's Physics

The article outlines the physics of football. Dr. Timothy Gay is an advocate for football physics and is intrigued by the collisions, momentum, energy transfer, forces, center of mass, trajectory, acceleration, velocity, Newton's laws of motion, and everything else physics related involved in football. We have studied each of those physics elements listed in our Physics 110 class. Collisions are likely the most obvious element of physics seen in football. When football players hit each other, the collisions are inelastic because kinetic energy is lost through heat in deformations of their pads, bodies, and the football (when it is involved). Most collisions are considered inelastic - 95% of them - any "real" collision is inelastic. When conserving momentum in a 3-body collision with two players and the ball, the force and acceleration of the colliding players will not only impact each other but also will transfer momentum and energy to the ball (with small mass) to cause it to move greatly. Here there is energy transfer to all subjects involved in the hit, but also there is energy transfered into heat from varying deformations. Also, in football throws, trajectory and center of mass with rotational motion are found. Following the ball's trajectory, in a simplified manner, shows whether the ball makes the target player (for example) or not, and the rotational motion of the ball in the spiral of the throw demonstrates the rotation about the center of mass of the football. The article says that the Nebraskan team has switched from a game based on hit hard and fast (mass and force) to a more calculated game of precise timing of the receivers and the quarterback (motion and time - kinematics). That is a brief overview of some of the key aspects covered in the article about the physics of football.