Physical Science in Water Sports

Physical Science in Water Sports is part of Crabtree’s “Science Gets Physical” series. The series title says it all. Author Enzo George effectively shows how physical science applies to swimming, diving, paddling sports, sailing, and surfing.

Buoyancy and Drag
Physics affects water sports differently than land sports. This is because of the differences between water and air. The density (thickness) of molecules that help us float is also what makes it harder for an object to move forward in water. This resistance in water is also known as drag. Most water sports take advantage of the buoyancy force, while decreasing the drag forces of the water.

The main body of text is mostly black on white. “Science Wins!” text boxes highlight stars of the sports and how science works to enhance their performance. “Getting Physical” text boxes explain the physics behind different aspects of the sports.

Getting Physical: Eureka Moment
In the third century B.C.E., the Greek mathematician Archimedes made a discovery. He figured out that objects placed in water displace their own weight. This means that water moves out of the way for an object. The amount of water that is displaced is the same as the buoyancy force acting on the object. The object sinks into the water until it reaches the equilibrium point. The equilibrium point is where the weight pulling the object down is the same as the buoyancy force pushing it up.

Each book in the “Science Gets Physical” series ends with an activity section titled “Get Physical!” In Physical Science in Water Sports, readers investigate “how water resistance affects how an object behaves in water”. This activity would be better if the explanation of the physics was not presented directly below the question “Why do you think this might be?” The opportunity for students to come to their own conclusions based on the information in the book is removed by this poor layout of the text.

Specific Canadian content is limited, but there is a picture of a paddler on a mountain lake with the caption: “The beautiful waters of Lake Louise in the Rocky Mountains in Canada are perfect for exploring by canoe”.

Overall, Physical Science in Water Sports is a book that will appeal to both sports-minded and science-minded readers.