The 17th-century British physicist Sir Isaac Newton didn’t play baseball. But the three laws of motion he described apply to just about every action on the baseball diamond.
Watch this video, which introduces the connection between physical science and baseball. As you watch, look for examples of forces and motion. Both play crucial roles in each of Newton’s laws. After watching, answer the question under Take Notes, below.
You may read the video transcript or watch the video again if it helps.
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Durham Bulls Pitcher: It’s baseball man. You see all these kids come out. That’s why I like to play, because when I was their age, I wanted to be where I am now. So that to me is the biggest part of baseball.
Narrator: But besides the sheer fun of the game, there are other parts of baseball too. Things like forces, which are pushes and pulls on objects, and motion, which is the process of moving or being moved.
Both forces and motion come into play when a pitcher throws, when a batter hits, when a ball rolls or a player soars, and when a fielder catches.
Forces and motion are fundamental to life as we know it. Without them there would be no pushing or pulling, no movement, no sliding, no throwing, no connecting, and no baseball.
In this lesson, you will view short videos and animations that connect the laws of motion to baseball. Then you will apply what you’ve learned about these laws to baseball, another sport, or other real-life situation. At the end of the lesson, you will use your notes, your knowledge, and your creativity to create a multimedia project, or write an essay, that displays your understanding of these fundamental physical science principles.
What examples of forces and motion did you observe in the video? Note them here. (Click SAVE when you have finished. To see your saved or submitted work again, click MY WORK at the top of the page.)