Product Description

How can sports be scientific? Author Madeline Goodstein explains in Sports Science Projects: The Physics of Balls in Motion. Baseballs, golf balls, and footballs are just some of the balls compared and examined. Why do baseballs have stitches? Why does a tennis ball have fuzz? How is a Ping-Pong ball changed if you fill its center? By experimenting with the projects, students will find out how much science governs the games they play. They will also discover they have been following the rules of science all along! This book is filled with excellent ideas for science fair projects.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #868778 in Books
• Published on: 2008-07-01
• Binding: Paperback
• 128 pages

From School Library Journal
Grade 6-10-This well-organized, clearly written series title will get readers thinking about why a baseball has stitches, why a tennis ball has fuzz, and how a Ping-Pong ball will change if its center is filled. Exciting experiments demonstrate the differences among the types of balls used in sports and the relationship between design and performance. Many of the experiments are followed by excellent ideas for science-fair projects. Black-and-white diagrams and drawings illustrate the concepts discussed. This valuable, practical resource encourages exploration and experimentation.
Paul Bielich, Northwestern High School, Detroit, MI
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Goodstein provides nearly 40 projects involving sports balls that demonstrate the principles of physics. She describes the composition of each ball (baseball, basketball, football, golf, rubber, and tennis), its rebound rating, the effects of temperature on its bounce, and several other properties. She also explains the Magnus effect and the Bernoulli principle. Most experiments are easy to perform and use readily available equipment. Appropriate cautions are noted when demonstrations require drilling, sawing, or fire. The most appealing parts of the book are the explanations of how physical principles affect sporting techniques--for example, the reason for the dimples on a golf ball. This book in the Science Fair Success series should find an audience among sports enthusiasts and reluctant science fair participants. A bibliography and a list of Web sites are appended. Kay Weisman

Review
The most appealing parts of the book are the explanations of how physical principles affect sporting techniques . . . This book . . . should find an audience among sports enthusiasts and reluctant science fair participants. --Booklist, February 15, 2000

This well-organized, clearly written series title will get readers thinking about why a baseball has stitches, why a tennis ball has fuzz, and how a Ping-Pong ball will change if its center is filled. Exciting experiments demonstrate the differences among the types of balls used in sports and the relationship between design and performance. Many of the experiments are followed by excellent ideas for science-fair projects . . . This valuable, practical resource encourages exploration and experimentation. --School Library Journal, March 2000

Customer Reviews

Sports Science Projects: The Physics of Balls in Motion
Lots and lots of experiments in this science book. It contains black and white illustrations. I especially liked the ideas for projects and further investigations at the end of some of the experiments. Recommeded for the 4th grade through the 10th grade class. Teachers should read this one, also.