Surfing

In this new addition to the Science behind Sports series, author Don Nardo examines the many aspects of science underlying the popular sport of surfing. It discusses the physics of waves, the science behind board shape and how riders stay on the board, covering the principles of gravity, buoyancy, and water surface tension. It also covers the scientific principles behind movements such as popping-up on the board; catching a wave; riding a wave; turning; the "hang-ten"; the "duck dive"; the "turtle roll"; and others. Other connections to science are made through discussion of wiping out (what causes it?); rip currents (how they form and how they affect the surfer); collisions, along with typical injuries; hypothermia (what causes it, and how treated); shark attacks (how sharks zero in on surfers, along with typical injuries and treatments); and psychological aspects, especially anxiety (what it is, what causes it, and how surfers can overcome it).