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Bringing the Science of Football Home
This series of articles in Chaps Illustrated will be something for parents to do with your kids… something full of science, sports, and a little whacky creativity.
Science of NFL Football: Kinematics – Position, Velocity & Acceleration
Discussion: Kinematics
Watch the science video.
Click the robot image
to the right to begin.
Afterwards, repeat some of the points from teh video.
From big and bulldozing, to small and speedy, the person who plays at being a running back can come in many shapes and sizes. But to succeed at football, all running backs must excel at kinematics, the branch of classical mechanics that defines how objects move.
Because kinematics describes motion, it describes everything a running back does basically, which is his motion up the field as he tries to score.
Kinematics uses three concepts to define motion: position, velocity and acceleration. Position defines location within a space, such as the surface of a football field.
A second kinematic concept is velocity, which describes both the direction and speed of the running back. In the NFL, one way speed is measured is a player's time in the 40-yard dash.
When we talk about speed, we’re talking about the magnitude of velocity.
And then its direction is dictated by where the running back goes.
On the field, great speed is used to elude tacklers. Beyond position and velocity, the third kinematic concept is acceleration, which describes how fast speed is changing.
Acceleration is the change in velocity per unit time, which if we compare it to velocity was the change in distance per unit time.
We want to reach our top velocity as quickly as possible. Someone with low acceleration might take five yards to reach top velocity, while someone with great acceleration might be able to reach top velocity in half that distance.
On the playing field, acceleration, or the ability to reach top speed quickly, may be a running back's most potent weapon.
If you can accelerate, you’re going to get to top speed even if your top speed isn’t as fast as the guy that’s faster than you, you’re going to beat him to his top speed, therefore you’re going to be more successful than he is.
Without kinematics and its concepts of position, velocity and acceleration, NFL running backs would be easy prey, and football, itself, wouldn't be nearly as fun to watch.
Then ask your questions:
What is position?
What is velocity?
What is acceleration?
As an experiment, have your student start standing still. Then explain their position. Then have them slowly walk forward at a steady pace. This is their velocity and it can be explained even using squares on th sidewalk. 1 block per second for instance. Then have them try to go faster than that. This shows acceleration.