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jdemers50

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  1. jdemers50
    Counter Strike Global Offensive, or CS:GO for short, is a competitive PC shooter game where 2 teams of 5 fight over an objective with only 1 life each round. While CS:GO is very fun and competitive, it also has some very interesting physics to the game. In The game some of the more powerful weapons are able to shoot through different materials, some being wooden doors, large creates and even other players. Depending on the weapon used, the damage through the material changes, for example, if you were to use the high powered AWP sniper rifle it would due a heck of a lot more damage then say a standard M4-A1s rifle. Another thing you can do in the game is bounce grenades off walls, doors, etc.. When you throw the grenade you have three different ways to throw it, underhand for short tosses, overhand for those long throws, and a mix between the two when ya don;t quite need the extra distance.  Depending on how hard you throw the grenade, the amount of times and power the grenade hits the wall changes. When you throw it harder it may bounce of more walls or go further when you bounce it off a single wall. Along with these physics there's a exploit to the games engine where you can perform a maneuver referred to as "bunnyHopping" . A bunnyhop is performed by air-strafing back and fourth or left and right. It takes a very skilled player to be able to pull a bunyhop off but once mastered you are able to bunnyhop around the map, which increases your velocity every-time you land a hop. This only works because at a certain time in the air right as you land, there is no friction, if you time up the movement you can then bunny hop again and some how avoid any friction which will make you faster and faster. While CS:GO isn't a physics based game, the physics in the game make it unique and a fun experience. 
  2. jdemers50
    Everyone dribbles a basketball at some point of their life, but have you ever stopped and thought about the physics of dribbling one? When the ball is in contact with your hand it builds up potential energy. When you apply a force to the ball and begin dribbling it transfers the potential energy of the ball into kinetic energy. As the ball collides with the floor, the floor the pushes the ball back up to your hand. This is because of Newtons 3rd law: with every reaction there is an opposite and equal reaction. The faster and harder you push the ball the more kinetic energy it gets and the harder it bounces of the ground. While basketball isnt very easy for everyone the physics of it can be. 
     
  3. jdemers50

    Physics of standing up

    By jdemers50,

    Standing up can be hard sometimes and I personally prefer laying down, but you know life goes on and everyone needs to stand from time to time. So how exactly does standing up work? Say you are sitting down in your computer chair reading this blog post and you suddenly feel very thirsty and want to get up and get a glass of water. while you are sitting you have a net force of zero because your body is not in moving up or down, but as soon as you stand up a force is applied in the downward direction which pushes you up. As you stand up, your leg's have to produce a force greater than your force of gravity. The force of gravity on you is your weight x 9.8 m/s^2. By applying a force to the ground greater than the force of gravity you propel yourself upward until the legs are fully extended. Once your legs are fully extended and you are standing, your net force goes back to zero because the forces in the up and down direction are equal. Congrats you just learned how to stand up!!! Now go get your water and quench your thirst. 
  4. jdemers50
    The clean and jerk is an Olympic weight lifting movement where the lifter pulls the the bar from the ground, catches it in a squat, stands up from the squat and thrusts the bar over their head. 
    The clean is performed by pulling on the bar off the ground with a high velocity, once the bar reaches about chest height, the lifter drops under neath the bar and catches it on his shoulder, and sits in a low squat position. The lifter then pushes up with a high velocity to stand back up, this is the clean. The jerk part of the movement is fairly simple. The lifter dips their hips down how ever far they desire, then they thrust the bar up with a high velocity, kick their legs out in a lunge position, catch and hold the bar at rest above their head. 
     
     
  5. jdemers50
    The Guillotine is a device used to cut off peoples heads. It was used very much ion the french revolution and hopefully isn't used at all today. While to guillotine is often seen as a machine of death, the mechanics and physics behind it is often underappreciated. The blade of the guillotine is brought up to the top of the device and tied down to hold it in place. When the object that is in need of some chopping is put into the restraints the rope holding the blade is cut and the blade, which is quite thick and heavy is dropped and proceeds to cut the object. The blade is at a 45 degree angle and is brought down on a track with the force from the blade itself. The angle allows for a precise cut and because it is at the angle, requires a lesser force, which makes it more stable. The mass of blade determines how fast and hard the blade falls. The blade has the force of gravity, mg down and the force of tension T up. When the rope is cut/let go of, it drops with the force mg and chops whatever lies below. While the guillotine is quite brutal is was very efficient and innovative for its time period. 

  6. jdemers50

    An Harmonica

    By jdemers50,

    The harmonica is by far my favorite instrument, I love the different types of music that can be played on it as well as the many different characters you find playing it. Recently I have been teaching myself how to play a harmonica and have been wondering the physics behind it. In each hole of the harmonica there lies a reed, all of which are different in size. When you breathe into the harp of the harmonica the reeds vibrate at different frequencies causing the different pitches you hear. Each reed is fastened to the reedplate with one screw, allowing the rest of the reed to vibrate freely. The harmonica can be very simple and some of it can be very complex. Once you become proficient at the harmonica you can learn how to bend notes and master the harmonica. 
     
  7. jdemers50

    Physics of Whistling

    By jdemers50,

    Almost everyone can whistle and people often do it when they are bored or are whistling along to a song, but how exactly do we whistle? Well, you can only make whistling sounds at the resonance frequencies of your mouth, because at the resonance frequencies the pressure changes due to the moving air. You can change the resonance frequencies by changing the position of your tongue. By moving your tongue up and down, and blowing harder or softer, you can change the pitch and amplitude of your whistle. So if you wish to become very good at whistling you better get that tongue moving. 
     
  8. jdemers50
    Rainbow Six Siege is a popular first person shooter game that emphasis the use of destruction for tactical capabilities. With breakable walls, floors, windows and doors, destruction in the game is quite useful and very immersive. I remember a round in the map House where I was help up in the basement defending the hostage. I had reinforced the walls behind me with barriers that prevent the walls from being breached and put a c4 charge on the wall in front of me. I sat and waited to hear footsteps from the enemy. As the enemy broke down the barricaded door adjacent to the wall in front of me, I blew the c4 charge placed on the wall. The charge took the whole wall down and revealed my enemy. I then proceeded to eliminate the hostile and secure the win. Another notable mechanic in the game is the ability to shoot through walls and windows, as well as blow holes in the floor. To make the game balanced and more playable, the game does not allow for entire destruction. A c4 charge in real life would take an entire building down but in Rainbow Six Siege it can only manage to blow up wooden objects. While the destruction of the game is very cool and immersive, it has an even balance that defies physics but not by much. 
  9. jdemers50

    An Physic C

    By jdemers50,

    This year in physics C I have learned many things. Many of which have expanded my knowledge in physics and as a person. I have learned much about myself. I now know that I wont be able to understand everything the first time, that I need to work hard to achieve the things that I want, and that Mr. Fullerton is for the boys. While I haven't been the best student this year, I can confidently say that Mr.Fullerton has taught me many skills that will stay with me for the rest of my life. From teaching me about mechanics to E&M and to how to study, I have learned a lot. Physics C has showed me that I really like physics and that it is with out a doubt the most astonishing thing ever.

  10. jdemers50

    Mr.President

    By jdemers50,

    During the recent inauguration of President Donald Trump, you can see bullet proof glass all around him. I got to wondering how exactly ballistic glass works. Bullet proof glass is made up of layers of glass and polycarbonate. The two materials are alternated and cannot not stop a bullet by themselves. A piece of glass by its self will shatter and a piece of polycarbonate by its self will be punctured. When the two are layered together, no bullet will get through. The bullet proof glass completely absorbs the impact from the round. Today's bullet proof glass can stop just about anything, from hand grenades to .50 cal rounds, nothing is getting through the glass.  
  11. jdemers50

    Squats Baby!!!!

    By jdemers50,

    Everyone seems to skip leg day, not me!!! Leg day is by far my favorite, especially back squats (I can back squat 365lbs ladies ). While the back squat is a simple movement, it requires tremendous power in your legs. To perform a back squat you must place the bar on the back of your shoulders, lower your hips down bellow parallel and bounce out of the bottom of the squat . Once you bounce you will reach a spot in the lift where you will have to push down on the ground in order to push yourself and the bar up. The back squat involves a lot of momentum and a very big impulse. The impulse occurs during the bounce at the bottom and without a large enough impulse you will fail the lift. Don't skip leg homies, leg day is the best day. 
  12. jdemers50

    The Snatch

    By jdemers50,

    The snatch is a very complicated Olympic weightlifting movement. The movement is very difficult and often takes months of training to master it. To perform a snatch the lifter must squat down, grab the barbell with a wide grip using the hook grip. The hook grip is the best way to grip the bar. After the Lifter has gripped the bar, they then keep their head and chest held high while down in the squat position. When the lifter is ready they then pull the bar up along their body, once it reaches hip level, the lifter pops the bar off their hips with tremendous force sending the bar up past your head. Immediately after popping the bar of their hip the lifter drops below the bar into a squat position and catches the bar over head. Once the bar is caught and the lifter feels balanced, they must stand up with the bar over head, arms locked out, and knees straight. Once the lifter does this the lift is complete. The snatch requires a lot of power and explosiveness. The initial pull of the bar off the ground can be considered the most important part of the movement. If the pull is too fast, the bar will go to far over your head and you will more than likely loose balance and fail the lift. If the pull is not fast enough, the bar will not go high enough and the bar may very well fall on your head, OUCH!!!! Along with the bar speed, the speed at which you drop under the bar is very important. When you watch Olympic athletes snatch, you will see them snap under the bar with tremendous speed and bring the bar to a halt very quickly. The snatch is all about speed and explosiveness, with the proper technique and training anyone can become a master of the snatch. 
     
  13. jdemers50

    The Hook Grip

    By jdemers50,

    The hook grip is the best way to grip a barbell for the snatch and clean and jerk movements. To perform the hook grip, the lifter must first wrap their thumb around the bar, once they have their thumb in place, they  then wrap their remaining fingers around the thumb and bar. This hook grip is much stronger than a regular grip. As the weight gets heavier, the hook will be your savior!!! The hook lessens tension in your forearms and makes it easier for you to perform the pulls and hip drives. The use of a death grip is no longer needed because of the hook grip. The grip may beat ya thumbs up a little bit and feel very uncomfortable, but with continued use of the hook grip, your hands will toughen and your PRs will soar!!!!
     
  14. jdemers50

    Physics of Swinging

    By jdemers50,

    Swings are found in children's playground and are very fun and enjoyable. They work just like a pendulum. A swing converts potential energy into kinetic energy as you swing. When you first get on the swing and take step back as far as you can to get the best swing you build up potential energy. When you pull your feet up and begin to swing your potential energy is converted into kinetic energy.  When you reach the the maximum height form swinging your potential energy is built up and again is lost when you swing back down. By swinging higher you build more potential energy and swinging faster makes more kinetic energy. So remember that the next time you start swinging all's your doing is converting energy. 
  15. jdemers50

    Curling

    By jdemers50,

    Ever wanted to know the physics of curling??? NO???? Well to bad im gonna tell you. Curling stones are made from thick granite stones, weighting about 20 kg, with a handle on top. The heavy mass of the stones makes it so it doesn't slow down early. The sweeping of the ice before the stone reaches that spot decreases the friction of the stone with the ice. The little bit of friction caused by the front of the stone melts the ice a tad and creates water which reduces the friction. By controlling the friction between the ice and stone you can perform curling. 

  16. jdemers50

    The Physics of Nothing

    By jdemers50,

    Take way everything in the universe and be left with nothing. Well except there can never really be nothing. At the zero-point energy, or the ground state of the Universe, isn't actually a state of zero energy. On the contrary, it's a finite, positive value not only that but a universe of nothing still has a size, a shape and it is still a physical object. The concept of nothing is very hard for scientist to understand because there is truly never nothing. By having nothing you actually have something . If you were to take a vacuum and suck all the particles up and be left with nothing, you wouldn't be left with nothing. You'd be left with gravity. Gravity can never be truly taken away because space and time is really gravity. The universe is said to be made from nothing which makes everything you see nothing, and nothing every thing you see, think about that for a while. 
  17. jdemers50

    Catch these Hands!!!!!

    By jdemers50,

    So you get in a fight and your gettin ready to throw a punch, you know you gotta hit hard and ya gotta hit fast, but do you know the physics of a punch???? The physics of a punch is actually much more complicated then one may think. The arm acts as a lever while ya fist and your body deliver the power. While it is quite obvious that you can find the force using F=Ma, there's much more to it. A good punch requires the whole body, not just ya arms. By rotating your hips and legs, you can pack a much bigger punch. The rotation generates more force and by delivering the punch and driving your hand threw the target, your punch will be much more powerful. If you ever find yourself in danger and need to throw a punch, make sure you throw your whole body into it, you don't want to be catching hands, you wanna be delivering them. 
  18. jdemers50
    The Discus is a moment in which the thrower does some spin stuff and then launches the disk across a long distance. The discus has many factors in which effect the throw of it. The first being momentum. During the spinning part, momentum is built up and then the disk is released. In the air the disk cuts through the air because of its aerodynamic shape. Also the spin is a very important part of its flight. The faster its spins, the more stable it becomes. It is very important for it to remain stable because the more stable it is, the longer flight time and more distance you achieve. With all these factors in mind, explosive release, and perfect from will result in a great discus throw. 
     

  19. jdemers50
    During the Steelers fantastic win last Sunday over the Chiefs, The Steelers kicker Chris Boswell set the NFL record for most field goals in a postseason game. Hyped up on the win and excitement I got to thinking, What is the physics of kicking a field goal? So I went and looked around and found exactly what I was looking for. Kicking a Field Goal is a very complex thing believe it or not. You have to consider things such as wind, air resistance, and momentum. Momentum is a key factor in having more force in your kick. With a higher momentum, the higher the force the kicker exerts on the ball. The kicker wants to kick the ball as hard and accurate as possible. Wind can either help or cause lots of trouble. It is very beneficial to kick with the wind because it can increase speed of the ball and accuracy. Kicking opposite the wind can slow your kick, or even blow the ball out of its path. Along with the wind and momentum their is a certain form you have to execute in order to kick well. The angle of the kickers body, pointed toe, arched back and the ball at a slight angle, all effect the distance and speed of the ball. The more angled the kicker's body is, the more momentum they will have, and therefore he will have more power. A field goal kick can win or loose a football game and it essential that NFL kickers are perfect. 
  20. jdemers50
    Hey folks, breaking news, size doesn't matter. 100% of astrologists agree that a more massive planet doesn't necessarily have a larger gravitational force. Take Uranus for example, it very massive compared to us here on earth. In every way Uranus is larger than Earth, radius, mass, surface area, and volume. However because of earths smaller radius it has a larger gravitational force. The equation for gravitational force is F=G(M1M2/r2). The gravitational field on Uranus is 90% of that on earth. If you weigh 180 lbs on earth, ya gonna weigh 162 lbs on Uranus, pretty cool stuff. 
  21. jdemers50
    Integral to the operation of the mechanical watch is the balance wheel. Balance wheels are constructed of a weighted wheel and a spiraled torsion hairspring. The wheel is composed of a metal alloy with low thermal expansion, and the spring is made of either steel or silicon. Energy stored in the watch's mainspring is translated through the gear train to the escapement, a trident shaped piece with a dedicated escapement wheel which delivers impulses to the balance wheel. The balance wheel is what allows a watch to run accurately, as the balance wheel functions as a harmonic oscillator due to the constant mass of the wheel and elasticity of the spring. Balance wheel oscillations are determined by the time taken to complete a semi-rotation, called a vibration. Balance wheel oscillations are usually within the range of 28,800 vph (vibrations per hour, or 4 Hz), which ticks 8 times per second. The period of oscillation T of a balance wheel (one oscillation, or two ticks) is determined by the equation, T=2π*√(I/k) where I is the moment of inertia of the balance wheel, and k is the spring constant of the torsional hairspring.
     
      
  22. jdemers50
    Tom Brady is an elite NFL QB, some argue he is the best ever! With the up coming AFC champion ship game; Patriots vs. Steelers, I was wondering just how much force is need to put Toms little self into the dirt. Tom stands at a solid 6 feet 4 inches and a hefty 225 lbs. Now to calculate Toms force we use the equation F=ma. F is the force, m is the mass, and a is the acceleration. Knowing Tom, all he is going to do is sit in the pocket and not move giving him an acceleration of 0 as well as a force of zero. Well what does this mean??? It means even a baby could sack Mr. Brady!! But you better be careful!! Any force above 0 N will be a 15 yard unsportsmanlike like penalty, because Tom is a baby himself and will not stand for getting hit. Upon a hit of more than 0 N Brady will drop the deflated football and will begin to cry, this is normal and can be treated with a warm hug and kiss from Bill Belichick. 
  23. jdemers50
    So a couple years ago a good friend of mine got his cat stolen! While I'm not very fond of cats at all, i felt very bad for my friend because he loved his cat. Looking back at it now i wonder the amount of work put in to steal a cat. The average cat weights about 4.04 kg, or 8.9 lbs for us Americans. So lets say the catnapper was a master of stealth and snuck up on our feline friend, they would have had to grab the cat and pull it quickly of the ground. The average height of a person in North America is about 1.69 m so they would have to pull the cat to lets say chest level which would be around 1.48 m. To pull the cat off the ground to chest height it would be about 59.8 joules of work, id say that's just too much work for a cat, just go buy a dog. 
  24. jdemers50

    The Physics Besiege

    By jdemers50,

    Besiege is a physics based game where players build medieval siege engines to destroy their foes.  In the game you use things like springs, motors, wood blocks, and wheels to build almost anything you can imagine. Say you want to build a catapult to take down that castle in front of you, no problem. Before you begin launching projectiles out of the catapult, make sure it either has a counter weight or a suspension system to keep the catapult where it is. If you forgot to do this, the catapult will be carried by the momentum of the lever that is launching the projectile. The catapult will launch its self forward and destroy itself which is no good for you, But you can prevent this. By putting a counter weight you can weigh down the catapult just enough so that it stays where it is or if you want to be a little more fancy you can put a suspension system in. The springs will absorb the thrust from the projectile and distribute it throughout the catapult keeping it form flying away. While the physics of this game are not 100% accurate they are very close and can get you're brain really thinking. 
     
     
  25. jdemers50
    Crossbows are a very a cool weapon. They use tension and potential energy to shoot arrows. You first pull the string back, which requires a large amount of force, lock it in place with the spring system and then pull the trigger which drops the lock and sends the string and arrow launching forward at a high velocity. When the string is pulled back and locked in place, potential energy is built up. The more potential energy that is built up, the faster and stronger the arrow will launch once the trigger is pulled. Crossbows are fairly simple, yet very deadly. 

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