Speakers
Description
Real hands-on active learning projects as part of a Physics of Sports class will be presented. Advanced high school, college athlete, and liberal arts students take this class to satisfy elective requirements. Results from Magnus force lift coefficient measurements by the students will be presented including a demonstration of a homemade device, based on skateboard wheels, to spin up beach balls, soccer balls, basketballs, etc. in the range of 5 to 20 revolutions per second (rps). This device allows us to vary the spin frequency and eliminate any accidental initial linear motion. Results of the Magnus Force measurements from different student groups with constant force approximation will be presented and compared to a full model calculation. Other activities conducted by the students included the measurement of their hangtime by jumping vertically off a force plate, measurement of the acceleration of falling projectiles used in sports (effective g), and determination of coefficient of restitution (COR) of bouncing balls. PASCO Capstone with sensors and student iPhones were used in various aspects of these measurements.
