Challenger Center: Garriott Science Challenge

Action and Reaction

From August to January, tens of thousands of people will spend several hours on Sunday afternoons watching professionals perform physics demonstrations. They do this simply by watching a football game. Sport players perform a number of moves that we are familiar with and take for granted. When watching a sporting event, you don’t stop and think of the physics needed to throw, kick, or catch a ball; slide into a base; run down field; tackle an opponent or change direction of travel on the field. But each of these motions requires the use of some specific physics which has to be applied in a specific way if you are to be a great sports hero. Friction, energy, gravity, and momentum are all needed to succeed in sports. Especially important is Newton’s Law of Action and Reaction which states: for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Richard Garriott will experiment with action and reaction by recreating a variety of sports motions. Some of the sports moves that he will demonstrate include: Tackle, Block, Throw/Kick/Catch a ball, Swing a bat, Jump, Slide, Run and Change Direction. He will video tape the sports moves so that accurate, details views of all the sports moves can be studied.

Essential Questions

Is there always an equal and opposite reaction for every action?
How does gravity affect or contribute to common sports motions?
Is a solid surface (ground) necessary to perform commons sports motions?

Can the sports moves be done in space? If so, which ones can be done in space? If not, which ones can not be done in space?

Click here to submit your prediction!

Classroom Activities

Elementary

Middle/High School

Student Resources