The book of wildly spectacular sports science

Sean Connolly, 1956-

Book - 2016

"Why does a knuckleball flutter? Why do belly flops hurt so much? Why would a quarterback prefer a deflated football? Here are 54 all-star experiments that demonstrate the scientific principles powering a wide variety of sports and activities--and offer insights that can help you improve your own athletic skills. How does a black belt karate chop her way through a stack of bricks? Use Popsicle sticks to understand why it's possible and learn the role played by Newton's second law of motion. Does LeBron James really float through the air on the way to a dunk? Use a tennis ball, a paperback book, and the help of a friend to understand the science of momentum and the real meaning of hang time. Using common household objects, eac...h project includes step-by-step instructions, tips, and a detailed explanation of how and why the experiment worked. It's a win-win."--Amazon.com.

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Location Call Number   Status
Children's Room j796/Connolly Checked In
Subjects
Published
New York : Workman Publishing [2016]
Language
English
Main Author
Sean Connolly, 1956- (author)
Other Authors
Chad Thomas (illustrator)
Physical Description
xi, 243 pages : color illustrations ; 24 cm
ISBN
9780761189282
  • Bat and ball sports
  • Goals and field goals
  • Indoor sports
  • Winter sports
  • On the move outside
  • Rackets and clubs
  • Aquatic sports.
Review by Booklist Review

Here the author of several volumes with rousing titles like The Book of Potentially Catastrophic Science (2010) offers 54 quick-and-easy, small-scale demonstrations of various physical laws and principles linked (sometimes tenuously) to sports. Each entry features a warning note, but aside from jumping off a chair or catching a falling egg, the activities are low risk. They range from simply turning on a faucet and observing that the stream narrows (which represents Bernoulli's principle) to constructing a rubber band trebuchet (actually a catapult) to show torque and momentum in action. Except, perhaps, for the brave adult, required for one set-up involving a playground swing, and a cinder block, the materials and components are common household items. The demos open with examples of historical athletic feats to get young experimenters in the mood, and then go on to lists of materials, step-by-step directions with line-drawn illustrations, and, finally, clear explanations of the relevant physics. Along with being fun, most of these could be developed into presentable elementary science projects.--Peters, John Copyright 2016 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

In the fourth title in the series that began with The Book of Totally Irresponsible Science, Connolly gets at the science behind sports with 54 experiments designed to provide answers to questions like "What Makes a Frisbee Fly?" while introducing such concepts as lift, drag, propulsion, friction, kinetic energy, and mass. The experiments are a mix of physically active (using a playground seesaw to explore the torque involved in a snowboarder's flip) and rainy day friendly (a pen, putty, and DVD help demonstrate the angular momentum of a football spiral pass). The chatty tone, clear scientific explanations, and broad range of athletics discussed mean there's something here for just about every kind of sports fan. Ages 9-up. (Nov.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review

Gr 4 Up-Connolly's appealing collection of hands-on experiments illustrates many of the science principles at work in athletics. The work consists of seven well-organized chapters of clearly described activities. The format for each experiment is consistent, beginning with a heading that notes the specific sport involved and estimated amount of time needed to complete the project. The smooth writing style and engaging content enliven the learning process and will even enlist the participation of those not scientifically inclined. The cartoonish artwork also adds touches of humor. Each experiment is wrapped up with a concluding explanatory section discussing the science involved and how it relates to a given sport. Examples of science concepts covered include Boyle's law, centripetal force, conservation of energy, kinetic energy, Newton's laws of motion, and surface tension. Students can conduct these experiments on their own. However, some activities do require adult help or supervision (safety cautions are provided throughout). Teachers, too, will find a wealth of material to enhance classroom lessons or physical education classes. VERDICT A worthy purchase for all libraries, especially for schools.-Lynn Vanca, Freelance Librarian, Akron, OH © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.