The Physics of Hockey
Haché brings to this informative study the perspective of a physicist (he is assistant professor of physics at the University of Moncton in New Brunswick, Canada) and amateur hockey player (goalie). He stints on neither the physics, which he presents clearly, nor the hockey, making the reader feel like going to a game. Hockey, he says, perhaps involves more physics than any other sport. "Because it is played on ice, we need to take into account elements of thermodynamics and molecular physics. Skating makes use of a great deal of mechanics, as does shooting. Puck trajectories are influenced by air drag and ice friction, which involve fluid dynamics. And because hockey is a contact sport, the physics of collisions is also part of the game." After chapters on the ice and aspects of play, Haché considers the game as a whole and offers a betting tip: "Bet on the team that is in the middle of a losing streak (or against the team that seems to be on a roll)."Editors of Scientific American