July 3, 2012

Today, I started off class with a new outlook on Newton's 3rd Law by learning about the physics behind throwing a curveball in baseball. Due to the spin put on the top of the ball, there is an equal and opposite reaction with the air on the bottom of the ball. This gives it the "curve" that always confuddles hitters.

Big Ideas:
1. A force is not required to keep an object in motion...ONLY to accelerate!

2. Horizontal forces (F[x]) + motion (V[x]) are independent from vertical forces (F[y]) & motion (V[y]).

Next, we learned that a projectile is
-An object by which the force of gravity is the only force acting on it
-It also travels within the path of a parabola
-This is due to the force of gravity acting down on it.
-Acc. due to the force of gravity on Earth = -10m/s^2
-x-axis is always constant

 
Real World Connection:
During the track and field Olympics this year, those in the event of the shot put must fire a spherical weight at the farthest distance possible. They will find that because of physics, no matter how hard they throw, the object will always fall down fairly quickly. This happens because gravity is continuously accelerating the projectiles at -10m/s^2.