Course: PHYS 331. Physics of Sports (3)
Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Why do ice skaters spin faster when they pull their arms in? Why does a golf ball have dimples? How does a baseball pitcher make a ball curve? Why does a quarterback throw a spiral? These and similar questions can be understood via the laws of physics. In this course, students use sports to explore the laws and concepts of physics: kinematics, dynamics, momentum, angular momentum, energy, and power. For each physics concept studied, students explore real-world applications in sports. At the end of the course, students will embark on a project where they apply what they learn to a situation in their favorite sport. (Available for General Education, B5 Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning.) (WI)