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Physics Of Running Research Paper

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The Physics of Running

Running uses many different laws of physics. Some specific laws or principles are Law of Pendulum; Newton’s First, Second, and Third Laws; velocity; acceleration; and friction. In our project, we will focus specifically on Newton’s three laws, the Law of Pendulum, and velocity. Running is defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as “to go faster than a walk; specifically : to go steadily by springing steps so that both feet leave the ground for an instant in each step.” This project will explain how the aforementioned laws pertain to the physics of running. Those involved in running sports, for example track and long distance runners, could benefit greatly from the study of physics in running. They could apply …show more content…

The ground is the opposite force that pushes back on the runner as they take each step. The direct force is the shoe on the ground, while the ground is the opposing force. Because the ground is pushing back against the shoe, the person is propelled forward. The force Fx is the horizontal force due to the contact between the runner's foot and the ground, and the force Fy is the vertical force due to the contact between the runner's foot and the ground. Friction is also a part of this vertical force. The shoe hitting the ground causes friction to slow the runner down. The force Fg is the gravitational force which pulls down on the runner. This force acts through the center of mass of the runner. During a run the force Fy is greater than Fg in order to lift the runner off the ground as he runs. The force that drives the runner forward is the active force Fx. The foot strikes propel the runner through the air, up until the time the runner lands with their other foot, at which point they push off the ground with that foot, which then sends the runner once more through the air with their center of mass. Running speed is directly related to the magnitude of this …show more content…

Velocity is the rate of change of an object’s position and is a function of time. You can find the speed that someone goes by knowing how far they went and how long it took them to get there. The equation used to find velocity is v=d/t; v is velocity, d is distance traveled, and t is time. Someone who runs the 3200m in 12 minutes runs at an average speed of 266.67 m/min. For a runner who wants to improve their time in a race, they need to cover more distance per minute. To achieve running an 11 minute 30 second 3200m a person would run at an average pace of 278.26m/min. This is found by using the same equation v=d/t. This is used to find average velocity for the race. Many runners do not keep the same speed in a race, especially in a 3200m race. At the end of a race a runner will speed up to as fast as they

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