The Physics Of Usain Bolt's Record-Breaking Sprint
Usain Bolt's Physics Nick Webb via flickr and the European Journal of Physics Usain Bolt's historic 100m dash at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin. In 2009, at the World Championships in Berlin, Usain Bolt beat his own previous world record by 0.11 seconds, running a 9.58-second 100-meter dash. The record is getting more and more difficult to break, as it's history shows (and as we may be nearing the limit of human speed), making each new record-breaking performance intriguing to physicists. A study, published today in the European Journal of Physics, examines the physics of Bolt's historic feat. Stats: Height: 6 ft 5 in. Distance: 100m Time: 9.58 seconds Terminal Velocity: 12.2 m/s (27.3 mph) Average Force: 815.8 newtons Tailwind: 0.9 m/s (~2 mph) Using approximate race-day conditions (temperature, altitude, Bolt's surface area) along with measurements from the race's laser velocity guard device (which measured Bolt's position and speed every 0.1 second), the researchers were able to calculate...