STEM at The Big Game

Did you know there are many fun STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) connections to football? As you gear up for The Big Game, take a few minutes with your child to explore some of the inventors and science behind the action!

At-Home STEM Connections

For home viewers, two of our Hall of Famers have changed how we see the game! Stan Honey and Garrett Brown have created awesome sports innovations that improve our viewing experience.

Stan Honey created the Virtual Yellow 1st & Ten^® line – the graphical element we see on TV that helps us visualize the yards needed for the next first down. As we watch all the action on the field, we can also thank Garrett Brown for his invention of the Steadicam® camera stabilizer, which allows camera operators to walk or run as they follow all the best plays while keeping the shots we see smooth.

These Hall of Famers have improved the way we watch each play unfold, but did you know that just by observing a football game you are also witnessing basic principles of physics in action? Well, it’s true! Players use physics to make all their exciting passes and impressive kicks throughout the game.

Physics on the Field

There are many split-second calculations players make in their heads and then act out, impacting the way they play the game and employing physics with their quick actions. Below are a few examples of how you can see physics come into play during The Big Game.

Creating Force Behind a Kick

Imagine your team getting set up for a field goal – what does the kicker have to do to get that ball through the goal posts? The National Science Foundation (NSF) in partnership with the National Football League tells us that each kick uses Newton’s second law of motion, or Force = mass multiplied by acceleration (F=ma). This means that kicking a field goal or extra point requires a player to use their leg to apply force to the ball – an object with mass. Doing so will cause the football to accelerate and soar through the stadium.

If the mass of the football is always the same, then the acceleration of the football depends on how much force the kicker puts behind their kick. The harder the ball is kicked, the faster and farther it will go. This means a kicker will need to apply more force for a 50-yard field goal than they would for a 25-yard extra point.

Regardless of the amount of force that was applied to the initial kick, gravity will pull the ball back down to the ground – that’s why even the best kickers can’t send the football up into space!

Reducing Drag by Throwing a Spiral Pass

Many of the balls we see in sports are round, but the unique shape of a football helps the quarterback achieve long and precise passes. In the video series “Science of NFL Football” by the NSF, they describe the geometric shape of a football as a prolate spheroid. This shape helps the football spin as it travels through the air.

The spin that we see when a quarterback throws a spiral pass helps maintain the control and trajectory of the football while also cutting through the air to reduce the amount of friction, or drag, and make the pass more accurate. However, if the ball is not thrown with a spiral, it appears wobbly in the air and increases drag, making the pass less predictable for receivers to catch.

Watch the passes thrown throughout a football game. Does a pass with a tight spin go straighter and get closer to the thrower’s intended target? What happens to a football if the pass is wobbly?

Try Out These Concepts at Home

One way to put your new learnings to the test is to gather a few friends and practice your moves. If the weather is still too chilly in your area to get out on the field, don’t worry. This fun Paper Football STEM activity can be done indoors with common household items!

Once you set up your goalposts and make your footballs, use your newfound physics knowledge to experiment with force and shape! Consider the prompts below to get started.

• How does changing the shape of your paper football impact the height of your “kick”? What about the distance? The speed?
• What can you do to make your “kick” more accurate?
• Did you notice a difference between a good “kick” and one that does not go where you want it to?

Learn More

For additional ideas to help you bring STEM learning to life, we encourage you to keep an eye on our blog!