Hey, it’s Allison again! Former Eagles cheerleading captain with degrees in biology and chemistry. I’m back to help introduce the 8th of ten Science of NFL Football segment, produced by NBC Sports and NBC Learn in partnership with the National Science Foundation and the National Football League. Science Cheerleader is an official partner brought on to extend this series to young women everywhere!
In this segment, NBC News’ Lester Holt explains that an NFL kicker needs more than a strong leg! Turns out one of the key laws of physics plays a major role when a kicker kicks the football. Know what that law is? It’s Newton’s Second Law of Motion!
Check this out:
If you’re an educator, be sure to visit NBC Learn to download free supplemental educators’ guides. Goooo science! And Goooo National Science Foundation for making this possible. Previous Science of NFL Football segments can be found here.
In rocketry, this impulse is referred to as ΔV (“delta V”), with Δ being the change in velocity. A football receives its impulse in less than a second. A rocket or spacecraft receives its impulse over multiple seconds, so the longer the force (i.e. thrust from the rocket engine) is applied, the faster the end speed of the vehicle. Ain’ t that a kick in the pants?!?
Salud,
/b