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ahalsey13

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  1. ahalsey13
    Since in the summer all I mostly do is ride my bike I thought why not see how physics relates to bike riding. When I ride my bike, I find myself doing no work at all at times and then actually having to do work. After taking physics I finally realized why this is.

    Gravity, is one main factor while riding a bike. When you are to go down a hill, gravity is doing all the work for you pulling the front of your bike down the hill. Gravity will always be greater than the friction, and weight you are fighting through. Friction when going down the hill is very minimal between the spinning tire and the ground. But when you are going up the hill you are doing a lot more work because you are fighting between friction, gravity, and weight.

    Gravity will always be something you have to fight through no matter what your doing because it will always be there.
  2. ahalsey13
    Sports are a huge part of most peoples daily lives. When I was younger softball was always something I wanted to do but I chose other activities over it. I decided to take a minute and learn how softball relates to physics since it's one topic I am interested in.

    Pitching in softball is related to physics because of the velocity. Pitching can be very difficult because you need to know all the different curve techniques. In softball, there are six main pitches, the fastball, change-up, curve, screw, rise, and drop. The fastball is supposed to stay on a straight path at a constant height to the ground. This would mean that the softball would need to go at a constant velocity as well. The change-up which is a slower pitch that occasionally drops right at home plate, would need to have a velocity the decreases rapidly. The curve, screw, rise, and drop are moving pitches, meaning they will bend in a different direction. The curve and screw bend in different directions which would mean that velocity would change with direction. The rise and drop would bend up and down, so their velocities would change for the same reasons as the curve and screw. Velocity is one main component of physics that effects softball.

    With doing research on this topic I learned more about the sport as well as how physics is involved with every step of this sport.
  3. ahalsey13
    Now that summer is practically here and watching my parents open the pool, I decided to do this physics blog on swimming. Swimming relates to physics a lot more than you think. Newtons first, second, and third laws play a huge part in the physics of swimming.

    Newtons first law shows the difference between static and dynamic forces and why it takes extra forces to get through two different forces. A static forces is when a body is at rest it stays at rest. The movement you feel once you get your body to move it you overcoming the static force. A dynamic force is when a body in motion wants to stay in motion. Newtons second law gives us the explanation as to why someone can swim faster than others. For example, if someones mass is equal, then it would be all about the amount of force they use to take off. Newtons third law states for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. When swimming and doing the breast stroke,the water moves down the side of you. The equal reaction would be pushing the water back on you while the opposite reaction would be the reason why you are moving forward.

    This proves that physics is everywhere, no matter what you do!
  4. ahalsey13
    Everyone enjoys the thrill of roller coasters, but not everyone takes the time to realize how they relate to physics. Roller coasters relate to physics because of the potential engery and the kinetic energy they use. As well as gravity, and using forces.

    A roller coaster uses both potential energy and kinetic energy. It stores the energy as the roller coaster is inclining up the hill because of the gravity that is pulling it down creating a greater distance. As the potential energy is released once it has reached the top of the hill, kinetic energy takes over as it is going up the hill. Roller coasters tend to be converting potential energy and kinetic energy throughout the entire ride. For example, when there is a small hill somewhere on the ride, the train will store potential energy again as it is going up that hill until it goes back down. Gravity tends to do the same thing throughout the entire ride, but in different ways. If the roller coaster were to be moving up the hill, then gravity will be pulling the back of the train so it decelerates. If the roller coaster were to be moving down the hill, then gravity will be pulling the front of the train so it accelerates.

    I've learned many things in physics and relating them to things I would of never thought about makes the topics so much more interesting!
  5. ahalsey13
    Most people consider cheerleading a weak activity that requires girls dressing up in cute uniforms and waving around pompoms. However, cheerleading is an intense sport that requires practice, dedication, and knowledge of skills. Just like any other sport, physics is involved in cheerleading 100%. Physics is found in every single motion and stunt. Cheerleading is based on stunts, tumbling, and jumps and since physics is so involved in this sport it makes this sport actually exist.

    A main factor of physics found in cheerleading jumps is force. Newton's Third Law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. This relates to cheerleading jumps because as the cheerleader is jumping into the air there is a force being applied which makes the force of gravity react, bringing the cheerleader back to the ground. To increase the height of the cheerleaders jump, they must increase the momentum to get the highest force. Momentum equals mass times velocity, so if you were to increase the amount of mass that is acting against gravity and increase the speed of the jump the momentum would be larger giving the cheerleader higher jumps.

    In cheerleading there are multiple stunts that require alot of skills. The main factor of physics that affects stunting is gravity. In a stunt there are mainly four people, a flyer, two bases, and a back spotter. The flyers center of gravity may change based on how many people are holding her and what kind of stunt she is performing. If two bases are being used to hold the flyer, the flyers center of gravity would compare to those that are holding her. If she were to be doing a one legged stunt then her center of gravity would differ and it would counterbalance the other side that is being pulled to the ground. Gravitational acceleration is another form of physics found in stunting. When a flyer is being thrown in the air she reaches a maximum height which allows her to perform the movement in the stunt. One’s maximum height is the highest that object can go, because its velocity has reached zero. If the flyer does not wait to reach their heighest point then it can cause her to come down early and possibly hit the people who are holding her as she is coming down.

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