Basketball is a fast-paced game with lots of intricate plays and moving pieces. But have you ever wondered why objects in the game interact the way they do? As you probably guessed, every perfect pass, sprint across the court, and buzzer-beater shot is dependent on physics!
English physicist and mathematician Isaac Newton first published his three laws of motion in the 17th century. Forming the basis of classical mechanics today, Newton’s laws of motion describe the relationship between objects, the forces acting on them, and how they move. These laws are very useful for explaining interactions in the world around us. They can help us understand airplane flight, figure skating, and, of course, a basketball game.
This walkthrough will go through each of Newton’s laws of motion in relation to basketball. Let’s start the clock, and get the game going!
