9781422274774

INTRODUCTION

Macaroni and cheese. Texting and emojis. STEM and sports. What? STEM—and sports? Yes! When one thinks about STEM classes and sports, they seem like opposites, right? You’re either in the classroom learning, or you’re on the playing field. But STEM and sports really do go together. STEM is education in four specific areas—science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Rather than being taught as separate subjects, STEM curriculum is integrated together for real-world learning. When a science class visits an amusement park, the students learn the principles of physics, use math to make calculations, and learn about the engineering and technology used to construct roller coasters and other rides. Extreme sports demonstrate the core principles of physics in amazing ways. These sports require not only athletic strength, speed, and agility but also a knowledge of physics. Extreme sports are all about science and energy, and Newton’s three laws definitely apply: > Newton’s First Law: An object at rest stays at rest. In order to move, an external force must act on it. This defines the law of inertia. > Newton’s Second Law of Motion defines the famous F=ma equation. This law says that the force of an object is equal to its mass multiplied by its acceleration. > Newton’s Third Law of Motion states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. If you are surprised to find that physics are squarely behind the amazing gravity-defying moves of extreme sports, don’t be. Let’s take a look at how STEM concepts apply to some of the coolest extreme sports. We’ll explore concepts like force, inertia, acceleration, and projectile motion, all important to these incredible events.

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