The Physics of Bowling

The Physics of Bowling

The definition of physics by some may be the science that deals with matter, energy, motion, and force. Therefore everything in the world uses physics in some way or another. One of the numerous things that deal with physics is bowling. Some of the major parts of physics bowling has is the motions, the ways that Newton’s laws apply, the different momentums, and the energy. Other physics topics include torque, pendulum theory and collisions.

In the motion of bowling many things are going on that apply to bowling. There is displacement, velocity, gravity, and acceleration. There is also an opposition to motion, which is friction. The displacement would be the bowling ball going from the position of leaving the hand to where it rests at the back by the pin collector. The velocity of the ball would include the speed and direction of the ball. The equation to find the velocity of the ball would be the displacement divided by the time taken to reach the destination. Gravity affects everything on this planet. Bowling is no exception. If the bowling ball were thrown up out of the hand of a bowler, gravity would bring it down to the floor. If the pin and bowling ball fell at the same time from the same height they would hit the ground at the exact same time. This is one main reason everything deals with physics. The acceleration would be in a slowing down state or deceleration. It would decelerate because of the small friction from the ball to the floor. The opposition to the motion, called friction is the ball touching the floor. In bowling this is a great factor because it is used to spin into the pins in an exact location. As soon as the ball makes contact with the lane's surface, friction comes into ...

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...f the physics world that most don’t take time to think about. In this sport it was noticed the many applied physics that happens. It includes the motions, the ways that Newton’s laws apply, the different momentums, and the energy. Some of the other physics topics include torque, pendulum theory and collisions. This sport as well as anything else is affected by physics. Even though physics is involved and it might not seem so complicated to hit down pins but physics affects everything so it would take a lot of luck and skill to not mess anything up with the physics.

Works Cited:

1.Internet website, http://kingfish.coastal.edu/physics/projects/2000_Spring/bowling/ by Colleen Bryan Emily Butsic Bo Hu Adrienne Metz.

2.Book, “A World View fourth edition,” by Kirkpatrick and Wheeler, 1992.

3.Article, “The Physics of Bowling,” by Tim Burgess, vol.34, May 1996.