Physics Principles In Basketball

Physics Principles In Basketball

Potential Energy

Newton's First Law

Potential energy comes into basketball in the form of a player getting ready to make a jump shot. He is storing energy in his legs to spring up and get air to make his shot.

Newton's First Law: an object in motion stays in motion unless an outside force is applied, and an object at rest stays at rest also is a part of basketball. When a ball is being dribbled, it stays bouncing unless stopped by the player, which is the object staying in motion. When a player stops the ball, and it is still on the floor, it is an object at rest.

Newton's Second Law

By Jackson Wilson

Newton's Second Law: acceleration is produced when a force acts on a mass. The greater the mass (of the object being accelerated) the greater the amount of force needed (to accelerate the object). This is a part of basketball as in when a ball with less air (mass) needs more force to be shot.

Inertia

Kinetic Energy

Acceleration

Acceleration happens in basketball when the ball is shot, and speeds up over time. This is positive acceleration, but negative acceleration happens too. It occurs when a ball is at it reaching it's highest point, and starts to slow down. Another example is the players on the field. If a player needs to catch up to an opposing player, he'll need to speed up (positive), and if he needs to stop to defend, he'll start to slow down (negative).

Kinetic energy is everywhere in basketball. Any player on the court moving is involved in kinetic energy. Also, the ball is constantly taking part in kinetic energy, when it is being dribbled, passed, rolling, etc.

Inertia takes place in basketball when a player makes a jump shot, and an opposing player blocks him mid-air because he knows inertia ensures that the player jumping cannot change direction in the air.

Newton's Third Law

Braking

Newton's Third Law: for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, comes into play in basketball also. When a ball is being dribbled, the player uses his hand to push the ball down (the action), and the ball then hits the ground and bounces back to the players hand (the reaction).

Braking in basketball happens when a player is running, and then stops abruptly, sliding their feet and causing friction.

Free Fall

Momentum

Free fall can take a part in basketball when a player is dunking and using gravity to score their point. All free fall in basketball include jumping beforehand. It happens in jump shots and dunks alike.

Momentum in basketball is active when a player is dribbling a ball, and the ball gains speed and hits the ground.

Friction

Centripetal Force

Another physics principle involved in basketball is centripetal force. This can be seen in action when a player is an the middle of a slam dunk, their arm moving in a circular motion, pushing the ball into the net.

Three types of friction are used in basketball, the first is fluid friction, which affects the ball. The second type, called static friction, happens when a player is running on a court; and the third type is when the ball is being dribbled and it hits the ground and rolls (or hits your hand and rolls), which is rolling friction.

Air Resistance

You can find air resistance in basketball when the ball is in mid-air and being propelled. The air around the ball is acting on it, and slowing it down.

Gravity

Gravity can be seen in action when a basketball is en-route to the hoop. A good basketball player needs to know the trajectory and use of gravity when making a shot