Physics of the Winter Olympics

1. Physics of the Winter Olympics IBMYP Physics Project 2014

2. Project Specifications: Choosing a Sport • Select a Winter Olympic sport/event you are interested in and watch the event on TV, or online: • http://www.nbcolympics.com/olympics-live-extra-schedule • Make sure you can watch multiple iterations of the event. While watching, try to observe the sport as a physicist and a fan. • You can find a full list of Winter Olympic sports and events at the IOC website: • http://www.olympic.org/sports Adapted from a project by David Mower, Yorktown High School (Arlington, Va.):http://yhsscience.net/dmower/physics/force/olympics.doc

3. Project Specifications: Part I • Create a PowerPoint or Google Docs presentation showcasing your sport, including: • A cool intro slide identifying your sport, with a title and a nice graphic • A brief description of the sport: how it is played, basic rules, how it is scored, who competes in it • Useful metric data about your event: top speed, distance, records, etc. • Use of graphics throughout the presentation to assist in communicating information about your chosen sport

4. Project Specifications: Part I • Research where the sport is played and include: • A slide showing the country/countries in which the sport is the most popular • A slide showcasing the country that has had the most success in the sport or event • On each country slide, include a map showing the location of the country and discuss the history of the sport in that country (reasons for the sport’s popularity or that country’s success) • Keep in mind you are students in Year 5 of the IB Middle Years Program and this presentation represents a chance for you to incorporate both science and international mindedness into an original, creative project.

5. Project Specifications: Part I • Finally, include a slide with a link to a video showcasing the physics or science behind the sport, such as a video from one of the following sources: • Science of the Olympic Winter Games 2010 • Science and engineering of the Olympic Winter Games 2014 • New York Times Sochi Olympics interactive graphics • On this slide, state at least one physics principle or scientific principle from the video that relates to your sport. • You do not need to include a detailed analysis of the physics involved in the sport; you will turn in your own analysis when you complete Part II of the project later this quarter.

6. Online Project Submission Guidelines • Save or export your presentation in PowerPoint (.ppt, .pptx) or PDF (.pdf) format (full page slides) with the filename LName_Part1.ppt (or .pptx/.pdf) • For example, I would save my project as: Baum_Part1.pptx or Baum_Part1.pdf • Upload the presentation to Edmodo using the Turn In button for this assignment. You can find assignments quickly using the “Filter posts by” link at the top right of your “Latest Posts” area and choosing Assignments. • Part I of the project is due at 3 p.m. on Monday, February 24, 2014 and must be submitted online by that date/time to receive full credit.

7. The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well. Pierre de Coubertin Founder of the International Olympic Committee