Celebrating the physics of all that flows with Nicole Sharp, Ph.D.
- Profile
London 2012: Soccer Aerodynamics
Corner kicks and free kicks are tough to defend in football (soccer for Americans) because the ball’s trajectory can curve in a non-intuitive fashion. Known as the Magnus effect, the fluid dynamics around a spinning ball cause this curvature in the flight path. When an object spins while moving through the fluid, it drags the air…
London 2012: Javelin Physics
Few Olympic events can boast as long as history as the javelin. Though the event has existed since the ancient Olympics, humans and our ancestors have been throwing spears for hundreds of millennia. But today’s javelin, oddly enough, is designed so that it cannot be thrown as far as those that came before. After a…
London 2012: Rowing Physics
In rowing, as in any water sport, drag comes in three varieties: skin friction, form (or pressure) drag, and wave drag. Skin friction comes from the friction between the hull and water causing the boat to drag water with it as it moves. This can be mitigated with the right materials and surface finish but…
London 2012: Running Aerodynamics
Running is not an event typically associated with aerodynamics, though any runner will tell you that a headwind can slow them down. For comparison, a swimmer on world record pace sees 40 to 50 times the drag force of a runner over the same distance. But despite the relatively small influence of drag on a…
London 2012: Diving Physics
Divers twist and spin gracefully in the air, but the highest marks come when they enter the water with little to no splash. This rip entry–named after paper-ripping sound characteristic of such a dive–is possible thanks to fluid dynamics. Any time a solid object enters a still liquid, it tears a cavity into the liquid.…
London 2012: Cycling Physics
In no discipline of cycling is more emphasis placed on fluid dynamics than in the individual time trial. This event, a solo race against the clock, leaves riders no place to hide from the aerodynamic drag that makes up 70% or more of the resistance riders overcome when pedaling. Time trial bikes are designed for…
London 2012: Badminton Physics
Unlike most racket sports, badminton uses a projectile that is nothing like a sphere. The unusual shape of the shuttlecock not only creates substantial drag in comparison to a ball but increases the complexity of its flight path. The heavy head of the shuttlecock creates a moment that stabilizes its flight, ensuring that the head…
London 2012: Archery Physics
Archery is one of the oldest Olympic sports, but the physics involved are remarkably complex. Even looking only at the flight of the arrow, the problem is hardly simple. The heavy point of the arrow makes it front-heavy, and the fletches on the back of the arrow provide additional surface area on which air can act.…
London 2012: Swimming Pool Physics
The era of the LZR suit may be over in swimming, but technology is still making an impact when it comes to making swimmers faster. One thing you’ll often hear from commentators is how the London Aquatic Center boasts one of the world’s fastest pools. When swimmers compete, they have to contend with all the…
The Olympic Torch
[original media no longer available] Today marks the beginning of the 2012 Olympic Games in London. In the opening ceremony, the Olympic flame will complete its journey from Olympia to London, having been carried by some 8,000 torch bearers. Modern Olympic torches are expected to withstand wind, rain, snow, and human error to keep the…