Hockey is an amazing, intense sport to watch and play. Although many people do not realize it,
unless they stop to think about it, there are also a number of different ways that physics affects the way
the game operates. Four of these aspects would include the passing of a puck, the skating of a player,
the stopping of a puck by a goalie or a player and the checking of a player by another player. All of
these demonstrate multiple aspects of physics.
First of all, there is the passing of a puck. When a player passes a puck, he applies a force to it
with his hockey stick. Depending on the force exerted the stick, the speed of the puck will vary from
having a great speed to having a speed of a lower magnitude. One of the factors that will affect the
speed of the puck is the friction of the ice. The less friction there is on the ice, the faster the puck will
move. The speed (which is another major aspect of physics) is also affected by the condition the ice is
in. If the ice is smooth, then the puck will move faster because the coefficient of kinetic friction is
smaller. If the puck is being passed on this ice then it will take a small force to get the puck moving.
(According to Table 1 on page 101 in the Physics 11 text book, the coefficient of kinetic friction for
rubber on ice is 0.005.) If the puck is moving on rougher ice, then it will not be able to move as easily
because the coefficient of kinetic friction will be higher therefore it will take a larger force to make the
puck move on this ice. On any ice surface the larger the force exerted on the puck is, the farther the
puck will move or glide. On smooth ice, if a large force is exerted, then the puck will have a high speed
and it will have a larger distance than if a smaller force was exerted on it. The same happens to a puck
on rough ice. When a large force is exerted from the stick to the puck, the puck will move at a highe...