About the Course
How does a pitcher get a baseball to curve mid-pitch? Why does an ice skater spin faster when she pulls in her arms? How can Tony Hawk land a 900, a skateboard trick involving the completion of two-and-a-half aerial revolutions? Physics holds the key to answering these and other fascinating sports questions. This introductory physics course uses sports to explore mechanics: kinematics, dynamics, momentum, energy, and power. You'll experiment with billiard balls to investigate collisions and conservation of momentum, study centripetal forces to determine how fast a racecar can take a turn and use kinematics and projectile motion to discover the best angle from which to shoot a basketball. You and your classmates will explore the real-world applications of physics concepts in sports through lectures, hands-on activities, labs, simulations, mathematical problem sets, and research projects. Along the way, you'll develop a strong understanding of the principles that give star athletes an edge over their competitors.
Typical Class Size: 16-18
Learning Objectives
- Construct a model of Newtonian mechanics from a sport of your choice presenting relevant physics concepts
- Analyze and solve mathematical computations in kinematics, momentum, energy loss, and impulse in colliding systems in sports
- Integrate and apply physics concepts conservation, work, energy, and power to a sport to produce a plan to improve efficiency and performance in sports
About Advanced Enrichment courses
These courses offer above-grade-level material that is presented in a novel context, explored with other advanced learners, and guided by a CTY educator to help prepare students for higher-order thinking and college-style academic challenges. Students work individually and may finish the course early if they complete all requirements before the course end date.
Requirements
CTY courses have grade-level requirements and most require minimum test scores. Some courses may also have prerequisites.
Identification DetailsDates and Tuition
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Registration Fee and Financial Aid
Tuition and fees will be waived or reduced for students who qualify for financial aid.
Learn more about Financial Aid