The Hammer Throw

The Hammer Throw

Being one of the most obscure sporting events, the hammer throw does not attract the attention of a sport like football, but one can argue that the hammer throw is the hardest sport. The hammer throw is an event in which one must harness the power of basic physics to use to their advantage.

The hammer throw is a throwing event in track and field, where the object is to throw the hammer (the metal ball on a wire), as far as possible. To do so, the thrower must rotate on his or her feet while pulling the hammer in a circular motion. There are three general keys that are crucial in a far throw: release the hammer as close to 45 degrees as possible, keep arms as straight as possible and release the ball as fast as possible. A hammer thrower utilizes basic physics while throwing, thus a thrower can use the kinematic equations to successfully predict and improve his or her throws.

Relationship Between Velocity and Distance

This graph shows the relationship between velocity at the instant of release and the distance the hammer will travel. 

Velocity at release is, arguably, the most important factor in the success of a throw. Throughout the track season, throwers are constantly trying to get faster in a throw. Many of the exercises and drills are meant to increase one's speed. The velocity of the release directly relates to the distance of the throw. 

Centripetal Acceleration on the Hammer in my Throws

Ac=V2/R
The velocity of the ball = 27 m/s       *if there is uniform velocity*
Radius of the wire = 1.17 m
Length of my arms = approximately 0.8128m

729 m/s/ 1.17 +0.8128 = 367.662 m/s2
On my personal throws, there is a centripetal acceleration of 367.662 m/s2



Conclusion
The hammer throw is an extremely simple, yet complex event. One must throw a metal ball attached to a wire as far as possible, yet athletes can use physics to improve their throws. The hammer throw is a great real-world example utilizing the topics covered in class.


Sources

Allain, Rhett. “How the Hammer Throw Is Like a Particle Accelerator.” Wired, Conde Nast, 3 June 2017, www.wired.com/2012/08/olympics-physics-hammer-throw/.

Litvack, Emily. “How to Get the Gold in Hammer Throw: It's Physics.” UA Research, 10 Aug. 2016, research.arizona.edu/stories/hammer-throw-physics.