What a thrilling job for an engineer: designing advanced athletic competition suits! Which materials can most reduce friction and drag, and yet still be flexible enough to move with the athlete's body? With attention focused on Shani Davis, a gold-medal winner for speed skating in previous Olympic Games and hopeful for the Sochi 2014 games, viewers see all of the places that friction needs to be reduced. This would make a terrific enhancement to your physical science or engineering class, and it could inspire your class to pursue a career in engineering for sports.

Concepts

drag, friction, polymers, sochi

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Additional Tags

polymer, friction, stem, drag, sochi, science

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Pros

• An interview with Shani Davis, computer animations, and footage of athletes in action all combine to make an intriguing film
• Addresses foundational mechanics concepts

Cons

• None

Common Core

RI.6.7 RI.7.7 RI.8.7