Physics In Basketball: The Physics Of Basketball

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Recommended: Historical development of basketball

Kevin Keefer
Mr. McBurnett
Physics
May 19, 2014
Physics of Basketball

Basketball dating back to December 21, 1891 has had practically everything to do with Physics. The trajectory of the ball, the gravity that brings it down after a shot, the wind force that alters the basketballs course to the basket, it all leads to Physics. Without Physics practically every sport known to man would be impossible to play, showing the importance of science.
The actual playing of basketball originated in 1891 by Dr. James Naismith when he had to come up with an “athletic distraction” for the students attending YMCA International Training School. Denying the idea of going outside to play sports like soccer, football, etc. Dr. James Naismith thought back to his childhood days, recalling a game called “duck on a rock”. The concept of this old game was one player was required to defend an object called the “duck” while players on the opposite team threw small rocks to knock it down. How Dr. James Naismith was able to forge a well-known sport from that type of a game will forever be a mystery, yet he set off to work using two peach baskets nailed around 10 feet high. Since the sport he created wasn’t a real sport yet, they were forced to use a soccer ball, aiming to get the ball into the peach basketball while resisting the opposite team trying to defend their basket. The goals, being baskets, presented a problem, when a team eventually scored they had to come up with a way to get the ball out of peach baskets. In order to do so they used a long pole and pushed against the bottom of the basket to be able to get the ball out of there. By creating this game, Dr. James Naismith has been able to bring countries together by eventually bringing this spo...

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...n’s third law is when the basketball hits the backboard. When the ball bounces off the backboard it’s usually from a layup or a shot that was thrown up with too much force. While this happens the force of the basketball when it slams into the backboard is met by the force of the backboard itself. These forces are required to be equal in order for it to be a valid example of Newton’s third law.

Physics plays an important role in each and everyone’s lives, it dictates our ability to walk, run, and jump. Not only does this show how just physics is important to sports, but as well as how science is involved in everything we do. Basketball is just one example of how physics plays out and works through our movements. Just like the three main law’s of Newton are just a few of many other forces and energies that impact our capability to practically do anything in life.

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