Historical Background:
The shot put has been an Olympic event since the first modern Olympics in 1896 in Rome. It’s a sport that requires technique as well as strength, and changes in throwing style have led to significant gains in the power of the thrower and the distances achieved. Scottish Highland Games historians believe the shot put originated from the ancient Celtic tradition of "putting the stone" which, according to Scottish folklore, was used by Clan chieftains to help them identify their strongest men for battle purposes. The earliest documented evidence of the tradition can be found in an Irish book titled the "Book of Leinster," which was written in the 12th century and describes the events of the Tailteann Games held in County Meath. One of the events included is stone throwing, but how much further back in history the tradition stretches remains unproven. The original tradition of throwing a stone evolved into throwing a cannon ball in the 18th century and the term "shot" came from this period. The shot used in the first modern Olympics held in 1896 was made of lead, while the modern-day shot is made of smooth iron or brass.
The shot put has been an Olympic event since the first modern Olympics in 1896 in Rome. It’s a sport that requires technique as well as strength, and changes in throwing style have led to significant gains in the power of the thrower and the distances achieved. Scottish Highland Games historians believe the shot put originated from the ancient Celtic tradition of "putting the stone" which, according to Scottish folklore, was used by Clan chieftains to help them identify their strongest men for battle purposes. The earliest documented evidence of the tradition can be found in an Irish book titled the "Book of Leinster," which was written in the 12th century and describes the events of the Tailteann Games held in County Meath. One of the events included is stone throwing, but how much further back in history the tradition stretches remains unproven. The original tradition of throwing a stone evolved into throwing a cannon ball in the 18th century and the term "shot" came from this period. The shot used in the first modern Olympics held in 1896 was made of lead, while the modern-day shot is made of smooth iron or brass.
Mathematics Behind Shot Put:
when a shot put is released, the shot put follows the trajectory of a Parabola. It is not possible for a shot putter to launch a shot put from certain angles. The body is able to put more power into certain angles, which help you to throw a further distance. Nick Linthorne from Brunel University constructed a mathematical equation in which the velocity is related to the projection angle as follows:
when a shot put is released, the shot put follows the trajectory of a Parabola. It is not possible for a shot putter to launch a shot put from certain angles. The body is able to put more power into certain angles, which help you to throw a further distance. Nick Linthorne from Brunel University constructed a mathematical equation in which the velocity is related to the projection angle as follows:
F is the force in newtons exerted on the shot for a horizontal release angle. a is a constant that characterizes the rate of force decrease with increasing release angle. l is the acceleration path length, in meters, of the shot during the delivery, and m is the mass of the shot.
Here are a set of typical values to solve the equation for college and Olympic throwers who throw a 16 pound shot put: F=450N, a=3Ndegree , l=1.65m and m=7.26kg
By solving this equation, you will be able to determine the angle the shot putter should choose to maximize the length of the shot put.
Technological Advancements:
The past couple of years, the college athletes and some high school athletes have been introduced to a new technological advancement in the way they measure the throwers throw. Laser-line system is a great laser system that makes measuring throws more accurate. the 2014 NCAA outdoor track and field championships, marked the first time that an in-stadium laser system was used globally during a live sporting event. There were no other technological advancements that I could find for shot put, but if I were to make assumptions, I would have to say it shouldn't be long before they start coming up with more creative and accurate ways to measure a throw.
Here are a set of typical values to solve the equation for college and Olympic throwers who throw a 16 pound shot put: F=450N, a=3Ndegree , l=1.65m and m=7.26kg
By solving this equation, you will be able to determine the angle the shot putter should choose to maximize the length of the shot put.
Technological Advancements:
The past couple of years, the college athletes and some high school athletes have been introduced to a new technological advancement in the way they measure the throwers throw. Laser-line system is a great laser system that makes measuring throws more accurate. the 2014 NCAA outdoor track and field championships, marked the first time that an in-stadium laser system was used globally during a live sporting event. There were no other technological advancements that I could find for shot put, but if I were to make assumptions, I would have to say it shouldn't be long before they start coming up with more creative and accurate ways to measure a throw.