How does a ice hockey puck compare to a field hockey ball? This question is highly relevant for ice hockey players, who are eager to keep in shape over the warm summer months. According to physics, balls do not act like pucks. The graphs below (Copyright 2014, All Rights Reserved), excerpted from the book series The Science of Hockey from Schottenbauer Publishing, show an official field hockey ball and an official ice hockey puck in motion.
Discussion Questions
- What is the range of each variable in each graph? Include x, y, and t as variables in your analysis.
- Use the information from the graph to draw the trajectory of the ball and the puck on separate pieces of paper. Include beginning and ending time points in your drawing.
- Using the information from Questions 1 and 2, compare the graphs. What is different about the motion of the ball and the puck?
- Approximately how much energy from the ball is lost due to friction?
- Approximately how much energy from the puck is lost due to friction?
Additional free graphs are available in a free pamphlet from the publisher's webpage.
The following books from Schottenbauer Publishing contain similar types of graphs and data pertaining to the science of ice skating, figure skating, and hockey:
Graphs & Data for Science Lab: Multi-Volume Series
- The Science of Ice Skating
- Volume 1: Translational Motion
- Volume 2: Rotational Motion (Curves)
- Volume 3: Rotational Motion (Spins)
- Volume 4: Jumps
- Volume 5: Ice Hockey
- Volume 6: Biophysics
- Volume 7: Video Analysis
- Volume 8: Reference Manual
- The Science of Hockey
- Volume 1: Force, Acceleration, & Video Analysis of Pucks & Balls
- Volume 2: Force & Acceleration of Sticks, plus Biophysics
- Volume 3: Video Analysis of Ice, Field, & Street Hockey Sticks
Anthologies of 28 Graphs
- The Science of Figure Skating
- The Science of Ice Hockey
- The Science of Winter Olympic Sports
Physics divides motion into two general types: translational (straight) motion and rotational (curved) motion. Whether it is a figure skater, hockey skater, or puck rotating on the ice, the same laws of physics apply.
The graph below (Copyright 2014, All Rights Reserved), excerpted from the book series Glide, Spin, & Jump: The Science of Ice Skating from Schottenbauer Publishing, shows a rod rotating around a central axis.
Discussion Questions
- Describe the four variables contained in the graph. What is the range of each variable?
- How is position measured in the graph? What is the unit of measurement?
- How many times is force applied to the rod?
- When force is applied, what happens to the rod?
- Why does the rod slow down, and motion stop?
- What is the definition of acceleration?
- Why does acceleration change so much, when the velocity and position do not?
Additional free graphs are available in a free pamphlet from the publisher's webpage.
The following books from Schottenbauer Publishing contain similar types of graphs and data pertaining to the science of ice skating, figure skating, and hockey:
Graphs & Data for Science Lab: Multi-Volume Series
- The Science of Ice Skating
- Volume 1: Translational Motion
- Volume 2: Rotational Motion (Curves)
- Volume 3: Rotational Motion (Spins)
- Volume 4: Jumps
- Volume 5: Ice Hockey
- Volume 6: Biophysics
- Volume 7: Video Analysis
- Volume 8: Reference Manual
- The Science of Hockey
- Volume 1: Force, Acceleration, & Video Analysis of Pucks & Balls
- Volume 2: Force & Acceleration of Sticks, plus Biophysics
- Volume 3: Video Analysis of Ice, Field, & Street Hockey Sticks
Anthologies of 28 Graphs
- The Science of Figure Skating
- The Science of Ice Hockey
- The Science of Winter Olympic Sports
