We have already told here on the blog about how physics is present in sports and how the knowledge of its laws can even improve the athlete’s performance. Continuing our series and taking advantage to celebrate the day of athletics, let’s talk a little about the laws and physical phenomena that we can observe in this sporting modality.

The laws of physics and athletics

In athletics competitions and its various modalities the laws that govern movements are very present: speed, force, inertia and especially the friction.

• Running: in the run, for example, the athlete must think of acceleration, distance and impulse, seeking to minimize the effects of friction. We have already spoken here about the 200-meter run and the movements in this competition.
• Distance jump: in the case of the distance jump, the athlete must reach the maximum speed before the jump, which must occur at a 45º angle. In this way, the parabolic trajectory will reach the maximum distance.

Did you see how a seemingly simple process is connected with physics in many ways? Keep following our blog to see how physics is present in other sports.