The Science Behind Gymnastics

by L. E. Carmichael

Overview

Behind every jump, spin, and flip of Olympic gymnastics, science is at work. Centrifugal force is at work in a midair spin, and center of gravity is involved in balance beam routines. Newton’s Third Law of Motion springs into action as a gymnast flies into the air in the vaulting event. Find out how science is involved in all your favorite gymnastics events and how gymnasts take science into account as they chase the gold medal.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781491481639
Publisher:	Capstone
Publication date:	01/01/2016
Series:	Science of the Summer Olympics
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	298,564
Product dimensions:	6.70(w) x 8.10(h) x 0.60(d)
Lexile:	850L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 14 Years

About the Author

L. E. Carmichael completed her Ph.D. thesis on the genetics of wolves and arctic foxes in 2006. Since then, she has published 15 science books for kids and teens on topics ranging from animal migration to civil engineering. Her book The Scientific Method in the Real World is a Junior Library Guild Selection, and Fox Talk: How Some Very Special Animals Helped Scientists Understand Communication won a silver medal in the 2014 Benjamin Franklin Awards. Carmichael lives near Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Faster, Higher, Stronger 5

Chapter 2 Building a Gymnast's Body 9

Chapter 3 Up, Up, and Away: Taking Off 15

Chapter 4 Twist, Bend, Flip: The Physics of Flight 19

Chapter 5 Sticking It: Safe Landings 25

Glossary 30

Read More 31

Critical Thinking Using the Common Core 31

Internet Sites 31

Index 32

Interviews

packed with charts, photo diagrams, and other infographics that explain science concepts; unique blend of high-interest content and science; short, chunked sections of information support reluctant and struggling readers; enlightening information about how science is involved in people's daily lives

Editorial Reviews

...packs a weighty spread of topics in its relatively few pages. Physics is a natural choice, but Carmichael also includes nutrition, engineering, and psychology. Each spread features splashy layouts with lots of photos and diagrams, and the text does a great job of introducing vocabulary, both in inset boxes on the pages where terms appear and in a comprehensive glossary. . . .plenty here to introduce a wide range of topics to students whose interest in gymnastics or this year’s Olympic Games might make for a tidy segue into school projects.

Booklist