Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Science of the Summer Olympics: Engineering in Sports: Measuring a Champion

9th - 10th
An electrical engineer explains all the technology behind keeping time at an Olympic event down to thousandths of a second. These include cameras, lasers, and even RFID tags. Timekeeping must be both precise and accurate. [5:34]
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Science of Summer Olympics: Sarah Robles and Mechanics of Weightlifting

9th - 10th
A robotics engineer analyzes the athletic movements of U.S. weightlifter Sarah Robles. by using a robotic arm called the WAM Arm to duplicate her movements. [5:34]
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Science of the Summer Olympics: Designing Safety Helmets

9th - 10th
A mechanical engineer explains the science that goes into the design of the safety helmets used in the Summer Olympics. [5:35]
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Science of the Winter Olympics: Safety Gear

9th - 10th
Protective gear is critical to the safety of Olympic athletes. Scientists explain how safety helmets are designed to absorb the impact of a collision. [5:36]
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Sustainability: Water: The Ogallala Aquifer

9th - 10th
Scientists are studying the condition of the Ogallala aquifer underneath Kansas farmlands, which use this freshwater resource for irrigation. They want to understand changes taking place and what the future holds, and to help develop a...
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Science of the Summer Olympics: Maximizing Long Jump of Bryan Clay

9th - 10th
Bryan Clay, an Olympic decathlon athlete, worked with engineers using a stereoscopic camera system to record his movements and velocities during his long jump. They could then measure and analyze his performance immediately. [5:37]
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Science of the Winter Olympics: Figuring Out Figure Skating

9th - 10th
An Olympic skater and a scientist explain the physics behind the complex maneuvers figure skaters make, such as the triple axel and the quadruple toe loop. [5:38]
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Science of the Winter Olympics: Science of Skates

9th - 10th
The science behind the design of ice skates and their blades is explained. [5:54]
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Science of the Winter Olympic Games: Building Faster and Safer Bobsleds

9th - 10th
Scientists explain the design challenges faced when making bobsleds that are fast and safe. [6:10]
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

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

9th - 10th
NBC's Lester Holt and former NFL kicker Morten Andersen look at what's really behind powerful field goal kicks--Newton's Second Law of Motion. [3:51]
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: Profiles of Scientists and Engineers: Design Engineer

9th - 10th
Learn what it is like to be a design engineer. Amanda Parks at MIT explains her work in designing objects that incorporate digital technology, for example, a robotic toy that records its own movements, and clothing that generates and...
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Science of Nfl Football: Vectors

9th - 10th
Learn how vectors can be used to analyze an NFL quarterback's football pass by calculating how much speed and direction are required to complete it. [3:58]
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Science of Nfl Football: Nutrition, Hydration & Health

9th - 10th
In this video, we learn about the healthy regimen that NFL players must adhere to during their gruelling pre-season training camp in order to stay hydrated and get all their essential nutrients. [5:12]
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Science of Nfl Football: Projectile Motion & Parabolas

9th - 10th
Looks at how horizontal and vertical velocity affect the parabolic path of a kicked football in this discussion of projectile motion. [4:16]
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Processing Human Urine to Recycle Nutrients Into Fertilizer

9th - 10th
This sustainable agriculture research relies on a unique contribution from humans urine. [3:48]
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: I Am Black History: Emilda Rivers

9th - 10th
The National Science Foundation recognizes our very own Black History makers advancing science and impacting their communities in outstanding ways. [1:00]
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Turning Co2 Emissions Into Fuel and More: Black History Today

9th - 10th
National Science Foundation-funded engineer Etosha Cave and her team have developed technology to turn CO2 emissions into fuel. [2:02]
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: How Does Resolution Factor Into Computational Models?

9th - 10th
How does resolution factor into computational models? Marsha Berger, a professor at New York University Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, answers the question on this edition of Ask a Scientist. [1:09]
Instructional Video
National Science Foundation

National Science Foundation: Living Ink: Sustainable Ink Made From Algae

9th - 10th
Living Ink Technologies is using synthetic biology to develop sustainable ink with algae. [1:40]