Mechanical Engineering 260: Mechanics of Sports

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Catalog Description

Applications of mechanics and mathematical modeling to sports: baseball, basketball, golf, soccer, swimming, running, and others. Introduction to the biomechanics of sports.

PREREQUISITES: GEN_ENG 205-2, MATH 230-0 or High School Physics and Consent of Instructor.

Who takes it

?

Instructor: 

John W. Rudnicki
Personal Office Location: Tech A333
Phone: 847-491-3411
E-mail: jwrudn@northwestern.edu
Office Hours: Instructor home page

Teaching Method: 

Lecture, class discussion of literature, independent research

Evaluation:

50% papers, 50% class presentations

Reading:
  • Adair, Robert K., The Physics of Baseball, Third Edition, Harper Collins, 2002. Armenti, Angelo Jr. (editor), The Physics of Sports, American Institute of Physics, 1992.
  • Brancazio, Peter, Sport Science: Physical Laws and Optimum Performance, Simon & Schuster, 1984.
  • Counsilmen, James E., The New Science of Swimming, 2nd edition, Benjamin/Cummings, 1994, ISBN 0130998885.
  • Goodstein, Madeline, Sports Science Projects - The Physics of Balls in Motion, Enslow Publishers, Inc., 1999.
  • Schrier, Eric W. and William F. Allman (editors), Newton at the Bat - The Science in Sports, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1094.
  • Wesson, John, The Science of Soccer, Institute of Physics Publishing, 2002. Wiese, Jim, Sports Science - 40 Goal-scoring, High-flying, Medal Winning Experiments for Kids, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2002.