sport
Ever fancied yourself as Jackie Chan or Lucy Liu? Ever wondered how they break wood, concrete and bricks with their bare hands?Now you can learn everything there is to know about the ancient martial art of Kung Fu – including the science behind it – at the new kickass multimedia website from the Institute of Physics.
The laws of physics come into play as our experts work out the force needed to break the board, and measure the speed of the strike using high speed cameras in order to calculate the energy produced on impact.
Join Chris Crudelli and Michelle Cain as they explain how physics can explain some of the mysteries of kung fu.
Extreme Adventure Game
Try Science have put together a series of virtual challenges in extreme sports, where you learn about the science while you play. These minigames are really addictive! If you register, you can compete to top the leaderboard.
Our favourite is the rock climbing - once you've found out about friction and how oxygen and altitude affect exercise, you're ready to climb the wall. We can't finish the level though, can you?
links
Why not find out more about the physics of sport at physics.org, the Institute of Physics' searchable database of excellent learning resources!
Exploratorium Sport page - lots of information on the science of skateboarding, cycling and surfing.
Improve your golf and learn about the physics of golf ball flight
Article from Physics World on the physics of Olympic sports
Lots of information on the physics behind tennis, football, basketball and more at physics-of-sport.net
