Mike Randall Research Paper

Words: 419
Pages: 2

It’s the fourth quarter and time is running out. The quarterback of the Wisconsin Badgers football team looks around, frantically, and throws the ball to his fastest wide receiver who catches it in his hands and runs towards the finish line and scores the winning goal all because he did his physics homework.

Mike Randall, the outreach coordinator of UW-Madison’s Wonder of Physics program, used basic sports analogies such as throwing a football to explain to groups of school-aged children at the Wisconsin Science Festival the importance of understanding physics in a program called Physics of Football.

“It is not just about football, it’s about any sport, it’s about anything you can think of,” said Randall. “Learn how your world works, and
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Randall also explained how Olympic athletes do their physics homework in order to gain an advantage when competing.

“Why would an athlete whose already the best in the world at what they do, do physics homework?” asked Randall. “Understanding how your world works and applying that knowledge will make you better at whatever you like to do, and it doesn’t have to be sports.”

Michael Phelps, for example, a gold-medalist Olympic swimmer, wore a special suit that reduced the friction between his body and the water explained Randall. This suit did not make a huge difference, but in swimming even the tiniest difference can mean the difference between winning a medal and not winning a medal said Randall.

Phelps did his homework. He applied physics, studied it and learned how to reduce the friction said Randall.

Randall said the best part about understanding physics and how your world works is that if you are better at something you already like to do doesn’t that mean you will have more fun with