The Book of Wildly Spectacular Sports Science by Connolly, Sean -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Dedication Introduction Chapter One: Bat and Ball Sports

How Does a Knuckleball Work? Why Do Pitchers Raise A Leg so high? What Happens When a Pitcher “Doctors” a Ball? Just What Is the “Sweet Spot”? Why Is a Wiffle ball So Hard to Hit?

Chapter Two: Goals and Field Goals

Why Throw Forward Passes In A Spiral? Why Are Linemen So Big? Why Would a Quarterback Deflate A Footballl? How Do You Trap a Soccer Ball? What Makes a Lacrosse Shot So Wicked?

Chapter Three: Indoor Sports

Can You Really Float in a Slam Dunk? Why Does Pumping Up a Basketball Make It bouncier? How Can You Throw a Heavier Opponent? Chopping Wood Chopping Wood with Your Bare Hands? How Do Trampolines Give That Bounce? How Do Gymnasts “Stick It”? How Do Dancers Use muscle memory? How Do You Stop A Cue Ball in Its Tracks?

Chapter Four: Winter Sports

Playing the Boards? Why Are Hockey Sticks Curved? Just What Happens When WE Skate? How Do Figure Skaters Spin So Fast? Why Don’t All Ski Jumpers? Crash? What Do Skiers Mean By “The Egg”? Why Do Skis Cost So Much? Can You Really Ski Up a Mountain? Can You Really Walk Across Deep Snow? How Do Snowboarders Do Those Flips Why Do Need Snowboards Waxing?

Chapter Five: On the Move Outside

How Do Gears Help you Go Uphill? Does a Heavier Cyclist Roll Downhill Faster? What Happens When Skateboarders Pump? How Do Long Jumpers “Walk” In Midair? Why Are Pole Vaulting Poles So Bendy? Why Do Discus Throwers Spin Around First? Why Can’t You Sprint For A whole Marathon? Can The Right Shoes Give You The Edge? How Do Hang Gliders Stay In The Air? Could Bungee Jumpers Go Up and Down Forever? Why Do Race Cars Have Wings? Can You Tightrope Walk at Home? A Scientific Tug of War? What Makes a Frisbee Fly?

Chapter Six: Rackets and Clubs

How Do You Power A Tennis Serve? Why Are Tennis Balls Fuzzy? Do tennis surfaces Really Matter? What About A Running Golf Shot? Why Do Golf Balls Have Dimples? What makes the Perfect Putter?

Chapter Seven: Aquatic Sports

Why Are Some Swimming Strokes Faster? How Can You Sail against the wind? Shouldn't It Be Easier For A Kid To “Ride The Curl”? How Do Stones Skip? Why Does a Belly Flop Hurt So Much?

Afterword Glossary About the Author Copyright