Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Science of Nfl Football: Geometric Shapes

9th - 10th
NBC's Lester Holt explores the prolate spheroid, the three-dimensional shape of a football, and how it helps an NFL quarterback throw a hard, accurate pass. [4:09]
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Science of Nfl Football: Newton's Third Law of Motion

9th - 10th
NBC's Lester Holt breaks down Isaac Newton's Third Law of Motion and how energy transfers between football players who collide during a game. Professors Tony Schmitz of the University of Florida and Jim Gates of the University of...
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Science of Nfl Football: Torque

9th - 10th
NBC's Lester Holt describes what torque is and how the application of this force on an object causes it to spin. Professors Tony Schmitz of the University of Florida and Jim Gates of the University of Maryland explain that battles on the...
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Science of Nfl Football: Kinematics

9th - 10th
Lester Holt and former NFL running back Deuce McAllister explore kinematics on the playing field. NSF-funded scientists Tony Schmitz and John Ziegert explain how the kinematic concepts of position, velocity and acceleration can be used...
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Science of Nfl Football: Newton's First Law of Motion

9th - 10th
NBC's Lester Holt breaks down Isaac Newton's First Law of Motion and how it can change how fast players can speed the football up or slow it down. Sceince professors Tony Schmitz and Jim Gates explain why the control of inertia is so...
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Science of the Summer Olympics: Engineering for Mobility

9th - 10th
A biomechanical engineer explains the science behind the design of wheelchairs in a variety of different Paralympic sports. [5:16]