kottke.org

...is a weblog about the liberal arts 2.0 edited by Jason Kottke since March 1998 (archives). You can read about me and kottke.org here. If you've got questions, concerns, or interesting links, send them along.

The physics of free throw shooting

Attention @THE_REAL_SHAQ: it's all about parabolas and backspin.

Free-throw success is also improved by adding a little backspin, which pushes the ball downward if it hits the back of the rim. The North Carolina State engineers calculated the ideal rate of free-throw backspin at three cycles per second. That is, a shot that takes one second to reach the basket will make three full revolutions counterclockwise as seen from the stands on the player's right side.

(via mr)

By Jason Kottke    Mar 17, 2010 at 10:24 am    basketball   physics   science   sports

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