The Science Behind Sports: A Deep Dive into the Physics
by Anthony Wright
Nov 25, 2024
Sports have evolved over the centuries, in such a way that the marginal gains made by athletes in pursuit of success and records, come down to increasingly fine details. These details more often than not, can be tied to developments across the various scientific fields. Deeper and improved understanding of physics, chemistry and biology are driving forward performance of athletes in all sports and in this blog, we will look deeper at how scientific concepts such as motion, forces, energy, and technology all play a key role across many sporting arenas
Motion - How does the concept of Mechanics in Physics impact performance
Motion and movement are at the heart of all sports. Newton's three laws of motion form the foundation of understanding how all objects move and this is applied in abundance to athletes and machines across all sports.
All three of Newtons Laws - First (Inertia), Second (force applied = mass x acceleration) and Third (Action and Reaction) - are the fundamentals behind pretty much every sport -acceleration of sprinters, horses, cars, balls, javelins, arrows, bullets. The bounce of balls in so many sports, the dynamics of movement in team sports, they all come down to understanding how our bodies, and the objects involved, respond to different situations and how we react to different stimuli within the sporting setting.
Let’s take a deeper look at skiing, for instance, athletes accelerate through the start gate and increase their momentum as much as possible, and inertia helps them to glide downhill. Application of wax and sharpening the edges of the skis, decreases friction with the icy snow and they must carefully balance their forces to maintain speed while taking sharp turns, managing inertia to maintain as much speed in their motion as possible.
The Physics of Projectile Motion
In many sports for both individuals and teams, a projectile, (ball, shuttlecock, arrow, bullet) is used. Projectile motion therefore plays a key role in these where managing the trajectory of an object is key to victory.
Key factors influencing projectile motion include:
- Initial velocity: when a golfball leaves the face of a club, the angle and speed of the club head, determine the distance and direction the ball will travel. The same with the movement of a cricket bat, badminton racquet or footballers boot.
- Air resistance: the surface of the projectile will dictate the level of friction with the air and the design of projectiles such as golf balls has evolved tremendously through scientific research over many decades. The increased number of sixes in modern day T20 cricket is not because of the evolution of the ball so much as the amount of time the likes of Chris Gayle spend in the gym, working their shoulder and arm muscles in order to hit the ball at such a speed that the air resistance is overcome for long enough for the ball to cross the rope..
- Launch angle: The throwing of a basketball, the lofted delivery of a spin bowler, the angle at which the badminton player smashes the shuttle, all require instantaneous calculations in the brain of the athlete to ensure that the projectile ends up where they perceive the best chance of a successful shot/delivery. This is why they pracitce so much, such calculations become sub-conscious.
The Physics of Energy and Power
The relationship between Chemical, Potential and Kinetic energy is completely intertwined within all sports. The intake of fuel in form of food is seen as increasingly critical in athletic performance and over the years, the role of nutritionists in sports management has become more and more important.
Athletes store that chemical energy in their cells and convert it to movement through the contraction of their muscle cells. That movement or kinetic energy then determines their performance regardless of their sport. In some cases it is not the speed of the movement that counts but the accuracy of the timing with which they move, sometimes just the smallest of muscles, such as the trigger finger in shooting.
In athletics, sprint competitors maximise their kinetic energy through explosive movement. Whereas in other sports it may be combinations of sprints, endurance and strength that determine success.
In gymnastics, the movement may be equally explosive, but it is not the speed that matters so much as the balance between potential and kinetic energy provides accuracy in the execution of flips and twists in the air. As they jump higher, they gain more potential energy, which then has to be controlled and transformed into accurate and dramatic landings.
The Physics of Forces
Forces impact every element of sports, from the grip on rackets in squash and badminton to the friction between the cyclists tyres and the tarmac in road race cycling.
Gravity is a constant force that pulls projectiles like bullets and arrows, or athletes towards the earth. Sports like shooting, archer, shot put and high jump are huge tests of how much control and ability an athlete has to manage this force and overcome it.
Friction and drag can be positive, but more often than not they are a challenge in speed events, which competitors strive to overcome.
In sports like weightlifting, tension and compression have to be overcome in order for the athletes to find success, by overcoming higher forces than their competitors. Preparing the body for such challenges takes years of training and if not managed carefully, can result in injuries which lead to a whole other area of science in sports medicine.
In swimming, athletes contend with drag (a form of friction caused by water resistance). The streamlined posture of swimmers along with the evolved design of slick swimsuits is all designed to reduce drag, allowing them to move through the water as quickly as possible.
The Physics of Materials
Material science has evolved over the years to become pivotal to success in many sports. The properties of the materials used in the manufacture of sports gear, from rackets to ski shoes, are engineered to enhance the performance of the competitors across almost all sports.
Badminton rackets are a classic example of how material science has changed a sport. Early rackets were made of wood, but modern rackets are made from carbon fibre, which is both strong and lightweight it facilitates greater flex in the shaft of the racket and thus the velocity of the head of the racket whilst playing a smash may result in speeds well in excess of those of the wooden rackets of 50 years ago..
In triathlon and other cycling events, carbon fibre is used in the frames of the bicycles providing slickly moulded, lightweight, aerodynamic vehicles which now have to be regulated more in terms of exceeding the traditional appearance of a bike (wheel discs are banned in road races for example) as they have generated so much more speed than ever before.
Along with performance, safety equipment across the sporting landscape has also evolved thanks to science. There are now fewer deaths in Motor Racing than ever before because helmets and the materials from which the cars are made are so much more resistant to impact. They are better equipped now than ever before to prevent head and neck injuries as scientific research and safety focused design process have been employed.
Conclusion
In an Olympic Year, it is right to reflect on how countries become successful across the wide variety of sports on offer. Whilst India excels in cricket, the lack of medals we gain across other sports raises the question of how other countries, manage to reap so many more rewards? And whilst India produces an endless stream of highly successful IT professionals, executives and economists, it is a good time to reflect on what contribution our scientists could make to the world of sporting success. Each of the three most well considered sciences play major parts in the preparation and planning for sporting success.
The chemistry of the nutrients providing energy and molecules that give strength through diet. The composition of the hydrocarbon polymers used to make lightweight shells body of Formula One racing cars and the high grade fuels associated with motor racing.
Biology provides the genetic, physiological and developmental understanding of Usain Bolt’s physique, fast twitch muscle fibres and even, to an extent the make up of the neurons that help him react almost instantaneously to the B of the Bang of the starter’s pistol.
And of course there is physics. When we take the Olympic Motto: Citius, Altius, Fortius, or Higher, Faster, Stronger, an understanding of physics in its rawest terms, helps us to understand that sports are all about overcoming the focus of gravity, drag and friction. Whether it is designing the next generation engine of a rally car, or reducing the friction in the gears of a Tour de France Bike, a knowledge of the laws of physics is essential for creating the components needed for success in pretty much every sport.
Why does an Olympic Swimmer wear a particular length and texture of swimsuit, whilst shaving off body hair from all the exposed areas? Well the physics of swimming, along with many other speed related sports involves an understanding of friction, air resistance, water resistance, or drag. Overcoming these slowing forces is the key to success on the ski slopes of the down hill skier, the speed skater, the racing cyclist or the motor racer. Through training students in sports and in the real life applications of physics, we can build up a bank of real life learning experiences that enable students to apply their knowledge of the laws of physics to problem solving across sports.
In 2022, Vishnu Saravanan became the continental champion in the ILCA7 category after winning the gold medal at the Asian Sailing Championships in Abu Dhabi. This success was highly dependent on a deep comprehension of the physics laws around fluids. The buoyancy of the vessel, the dynamics of the forces between the outer surface of the hull of the boat and the salty water of the Arabian Sea. The science that goes into the design of such vessels and the planning of the race strategies according to science of weather forecasting and predicting wind strength and direction are all skills that can be gained in school and applied through sailing.
With Motor Racing and even Formula One looking to go green, for the sake of our environment, a rule was introduced in 2022, that meant that fuel used in the vehicles must be a minimum of 10% ecologically produced ethanol. By 2026, all cars are expected to be run on 100% ecologically friendly hydrocarbon fuel. Chemists and engineers are now focussed more than ever on the development of sustainable fuels and technology that will continue to trickle down to the every day motor vehicles used on the roads of India and around the world.
2024 marks the 10th anniversary of Formula E - electric powered race cars which have evolved enormously, from needing multiple battery changes and relatively low speeds in the inaugural season, to seeing speeds almost comparable to F1 and battery life which now transpires into journeys of hundreds of kilometres for every day cars like Teslas.
It is safe to say that the Science of Sport is very much the future of all sports. Through the production of new and improved materials, fuels and engineered systems, sports science continues to evolve and form the groundbreaking technologies and advancements that drive society and every day life forwards. After all we all seem to want to achieve that olympic Motto of Citius, Altius, Fortius.
The intersection of sports and science is revolutionising the way athletes train and compete. It comes as no surprise that many schools in India today are now offering a curriculum that includes sports science. Students who actively participate in sports can be trained effectively, as they can assimilate scientific principles into their practice. As India’s sports culture continues to grow, sports schools are vital in creating a new generation of athletes that are more versatile in their capabilities. It is necessary to emphasise the role that sport education is going to take in the India sports in the future because that is going to ensure that the country develops athletes capable of competing on the world stage. This comprehensive strategy is going to be key in the progress of sporting achievements. At Manchester Global School, we recognise this importance and are proud to be one of the leading sports school in India , while providing a holistic education programme that combines academic excellence with athletic development.
