Gold Medal Physics: The Science of Sports

Using examples from the sporting world to help illustrate basic physics concepts is nothing new. Anyone who has ever taught an introductory physics course, or perhaps a general education science course, invariably uses sports to help explain notions of force and inertia, conservation of energy and momentum, and the rotation of objects and angular momentum. In his book, John Eric Goff applies a new formula to the old physics and sports connection. In each chapter, he first introduces a legendary event in the history of athletic competition with the excitement and enthusiasm of a true sports fan. He then sets off with the ambitious goal of explaining some real physics (complete with lots of equations) behind these events to a general audience. This book is certainly not intended to be a complete discussion of physics in all manner of sports, nor is it even intended to be an exhaustive description...