The Physics Of Pole Vaulting - 1471 Words

Pole vaulting is a an Olympic sport categorised as an athletic event where a vaulter must use a pole to push themselves up and over a high bar in an attempt to vault themselves over the highest placed bar in order to win. Many variables come into play of pole vaulting which can allow for the athlete to vault themselves the highest including the length of the run and pole, the bend of the pole, the correct generation of speed and a strong strike into the box. There are many forces and energies involved in the physics of pole vaulting which can provide reasoning for why and how people can vault themselves over such great heights and still successfully land safely after falling from such great heights. FORCES As the vaulter prepares for the vault to occur and starts to run down the track they need to be wearing appropriate footwear with a large surface area. This will result in a large amount of friction being produced between the sole of the shoe and the ground, allowing the vaulter more traction whilst running down the track as more of the sole of the shoe is in contact with the path. This allows the vaulter to accelerate to faster speeds due to the traction caused by the athlete’s shoes. This relates to Newton’s second law of motion which is: If an object changes its motion (=accelerates) then an unbalanced (net) force is acting on it in the direction of the acceleration. The traction of the shoes allows the vaulter to accelerate as if they were to run at a constantShow MoreRelated Physics in Sports Essay1462 Words   |  6 PagesPhysics in Sports nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;When many people think of sports, the topic of physics doesnt always come to mind. They usually dont think about connecting athletics with academics. In reality math, science, and especially physics, tie into every aspect of sports. Sports are a commonality that brings nations together, Soccer, known as football to most of the world, is said to an unspoken language, which unties people from different lands through a passion to play a game. AthleticsRead MoreA Brief History Of Pole Vault2398 Words   |  10 PagesBackground A Brief History of Pole Vault Pole vaulting has been around since the time of the ancient Greeks. Poles were made of solid wood and used to vault over obstacles such as marshes, trenches and even walls. [1] It wasn’t until around 1850 that a running form of pole vault competition emerged from Germany. The United States saw pole vaulting just before the beginning of the 20th century. Women’s pole vault began in the olympics around the year 2000. [2] Now, poles are made of fiberglass or carbonRead MoreTechnology Has Changed Sports Over The Years, Without A Doubt2855 Words   |  12 PagesKay Duit Professor Wilson Physics 1003-01 16 November 2014 Research Paper Technology has changed sports over the years, without a doubt. Many rules have changed because of technology. Not only rules have changed, also decision-making has been affected by technological improvements. However, a lot of technological improvements are very expensive and therefore cannot be applied in every sporting event. Especially amateur athletes and clubs do not have resources to apply the newest technologies in theirRead MoreEssay about Athens, Greece852 Words   |  4 Pagescontestants were not nationally chosen but rather came individually and at their own expense. Some contestants were tourists who happened to be in the area during the Games. Athletes wore their athletic club uniform rather than a national team one. Pole-vaulting, sprints, shot put, weight lifting, swimming, cycling, target shooting, tennis, marathon and gymnastics were all events at the first Olympics. The swimming events were held in the Bay of Zea in the Aegean Sea. A gold medalist described it: I w onRead MoreSport Science13852 Words   |  56 Pageshowever, in a competitive market, practising a skill repeatedly to improve is not always enough. Learning skills has become a science in itself. Now, to reach the top of their game, athletes need to understand and consider the nature of skills, the physics of movement and the athletes’ own physical attributes and psychology. The following chapters delve into the science of learning skills that will assist you to develop and reï ¬ ne physical skills and maximise your sporting potential. Focus questions