How Physics Is Used In Volleyball

Introduction

Science is a branch of knowledge that has been used to describe different phenomena using its three branches biology, physics, and chemistry. Different occurrences or phenomena in various aspects of everyday life can be explained using science, including sports. Whether an occurrence is supported by gravity, velocity, or acceleration, which are all common aspects within the branch of science, physics, it is evident that science is part of everyday life.  Many people fail to realize that physics, as a branch of science, can explain how or why certain sports are played the way they are. Similarly, the effects of scientific phenomena influence the manner in which outcomes of sports are recorded, thus deeming physics, as a  branch of science, an important element in sports success. Evidence exists of physics, a branch of science, being used in the sport, volleyball, with the possibility of demonstrating how different elements of physics influence how the sport is played, as well as the outcomes. The aim of this paper, therefore, is to describe how physics is used in volleyball. Gravity, a common phenomenon in physics, influences highly, all aspects of volleyball, from serving to hitting and passing. Gravity has a direct impact on every contact that occurs within the sport, thus how physics is used in volleyball. For instance, when a volleyball player gets ready to serve the ball, they use an upwards and forward force to execute the action. The action causes a physical reaction through gravity, which acts by exerting a downward force on the ball. This downward force of gravity that is exerted on the ball is what enables it to go over the net, and onto the other side once it has been served from the other side of the net (Oldenburg, 2014). Players take advantage of their understanding of physics in as far as the sport goes, hence use gravity to facilitate better playing and success in volleyball matches. One of the ways players use physics in volleyball to their advantage can be seen in the kind of serve they deliver. Certain types of serves, owing to the physics of gravity, make it challenging for opponents to return a serve, hence how physics applies in volleyball. For instance, the serve known as the jump-float is a depiction that physics plays a crucial role in how volleyball is played, and hence it influences outcomes. When a player wants to serve using the jump-float serve, they typically stand back a couple of feet to ensure that the ball cuts through as much air as possible (Shou-Sheng, 2008). The server causes the volleyball to stay longer in the air, which is attributed to longer exposure to the air stream. This causes the ball to appear like it is floating in the air, thus is not anticipated by the opponents, which may result in a score from the jump-float serve. Another type of serve where there is evidence of physics in volleyball, owing to its aspect of gravitational force, is the topspin. The topspin serve is done at a much quicker pace than the jump-float serve. A player performing the topspin serve will typically snap their wrist causing the gravitational pull on the ball to cause its acceleration to the ground to occur quicker. The science or physics behind the quicker acceleration to the ground during a topspin serve is attributed to the rolling forwards of the seams on the volleyball (Ricardo, 2014).  The action causes the velocity of the air to be faster on the top f the ball than at the bottom facilitating the ability of gravity to pull the ball downwards. During a pass, an upward and forward force is exerted on the volleyball, which is also characterized by the effect of gravity pulling the ball towards a downward motion. Therefore, to ensure that the pass is made and that the ball reaches the target, the passer has to follow through with their arms in the target’s direction (Shou-Sheng, 2008). Similarly, when a player wants to score using a spike or a hit to the volleyball, the physics of gravitational force is also seen as influencing this action. In the event of spiking a ball, the player exerts a downward force on the ball, which sends it across the other side of the net possibly causing it to crash due to the force with which the of the spiking action occurs.  When a player spikes the ball, gravity works in their favor as gravity also works in the same downward direction as the direction the ball has been hit to target. Other than gravity, other elements of physics explain how this branch of science is used in volleyball as a sport. While gravity creates a force that causes a downward motion on the ball, the ball is also undergoing acceleration, which is also a phenomenon in physics used in volleyball. When a player spikes the ball to ensure it crashes on the other side to score a point, the velocity of the ball increases, which is seen through the ball’s acceleration (Serrien, Ooijen,  Goossens,  & Baeyens, 2016). All through a game of volleyball, the ball undergoes acceleration, as well as deceleration in accordance to the force exerted by a player. The acceleration or deceleration of a ball is dependent on various factors, which cause s difference in the force that comes into contact with the ball and the speed which it moves after the contact. Similarly, the speed, or how fast a player moves to get the ball can influence the ball’s force of acceleration or deceleration, thus how physics is used in volleyball (Oldenburg, 2014). In addition to that, a ball’s force of acceleration or deceleration is impacted by how low a player goes to get the ball, whether it is to return a serve, receive a pass, or counter a spike or hit. For instance, a player on one side can pass an easy free ball to the opponents’ side, when through a quick reaction, a player on the opponents’ side spikes the ball back at a high amount of force, causing the ball to accelerate (Serrien, Ooijen,  Goossens,  & Baeyens, 2016). Through physics, one can calculate the velocity with which a ball travels in the event of a serve, a pass or a spike or hit. Physics, as a discipline of science, provides an equation that helps in the calculation of velocity, as well as acceleration and deceleration. The equation used to calculate the velocity of a ball during a volleyball game is v=d/t, which can be translated as velocity equals distance divided by time (Oldenburg, 2014). For instance, if a server from one side stood behind the service line, twenty five feet from the net casing the ball to take two seconds for it to pass the net to the opponents’ side, the resulting velocity would be pronounced as 12.5 feet per second (Oldenburg, 2014). As explained in the discipline physics, a higher velocity makes it harder for a passer receiving the higher velocity pass to deliver a good option pass, which is relatively advantageous for the server of such a ball. Therefore, to take advantage of velocity and acceleration of a ball during the game of velocity, players should observe carefully, when to use more force to influence ball movement (Oldenburg, 2014). However, with that in mind players should also remember that gravity is also a force that influences the ball’s motion, thus should factor in the same element during passes, striking actions, as well as during serving of the ball. Player movement coordination to serve, pass, spike, or return a serve is also influenced by physics, thus how the branch of science is used in volleyball. This happens when players use their feet to accelerate or decelerate towards the ball depending on a player’s observation and anticipation of an incoming ball, as well as their intended move. Similarly, depending on the force with which a ball has been hit during a serve, hit or spike, the player may need to cushion it in a bid to absorb or swing their arms to add more force the in the event of passing the ball or returning a serve. The act of cushioning hard-hit balls increases the time of contact, thus decreasing the force of the served, spiked or hit ball (Šimonek, 2014). The force of the ball decreases with the increase of contact time because time and force are inversely proportional, according to the inverse momentum theory of physics.

Conclusion

Physics influences various dynamics in a volleyball game in the form of player feet movement and the force with which they hit, serve or pass a ball (Šimonek, 2014). Gravity influence the downward movement of the ball as it causes a force that pulls the ball down. Therefore, when striking a ball during a volleyball game, gravity facilitates an increased the downward movement of the ball increasing the odds for a score owing to the increased force. Similarly, velocity influences the acceleration and deceleration of a ball, which when factored into tactical playing can increases the chances of scoring, thus influencing success in a volleyball game.

References

Oldenburg, S. (2014). Complete conditioning for volleyball. Ricardo, J. (2014). Modeling the Motion of a Volleyball with Spin. Journal of Advanced Undergraduate Physics Laboratory Investigation, 2(1), 1. Serrien, B., Ooijen, J., Goossens, M., & Baeyens, J. P. (2016). A Motion Analysis in the Volleyball Spike–Part 1: Three-Dimensional Kinematics and Performance. International Journal of Human Movement and Sports Sciences, 4(4), 70-82. Shou-Sheng, Y. A. N. (2008). Interesting physics in ball games [J]. Physics, 7, 003.  Šimonek, J. (2014). Coordination abilities in volleyball.