Forces

Free body diagrams are used to show which forces are acting on a body at a particular instant in time. Arrows indicate the position, direction, and size of the force acting. The most likely forces acting on an athlete are friction, air resistance, weight and reaction forces. How to draw a free body diagram Let’s […]

Frictional forces act against the movement of one surface over another, such as tennis shoes on a grass court. Friction is the force that prevents the player from slipping and sliding. When air passes over a surface a frictional force called air resistance is produced, this is particularly important at high speed. Friction Some examples

Impulse is simply a measure of the force applied for a specific time. Impulse = force x time and has units Ns (Newton seconds). It is an important concept in sport because many techniques, particularly throwing activities, require the performer to apply as large a force possible for as long as possible. The area of

A force is a push or a pull that alters the state of motion of a body and is measured in Newtons (N). As explained in Newton’s first law of motion a force is required to make a stationary body move, change speed, direction or stop. In sport, an internal force is one which is