Boots and balls: the science behind the World Cup

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• Tuesday 8 June 2010
• 7.00pm - 8.30pm
• Lecturers: Prof Steve Haake

The FIFA World Cup is second only to the Olympics for world-wide coverage. The hype surrounding the teams, players and even the ball can reach fever pitch before the tournament has seen the kick of the first ball. Quite often stories appear that the ball is lighter, swerves more or is the roundest ever and goalkeepers complain that the ball speeds up in the air. Toes get broken and ankles snapped, often with the new light-weight boots as the object to blame. So, what are the facts behind the science of boots and balls?

This talk will look the physics of the game and will address the major issues likely to appear during South Africa 2010 using slow motion photography, fluid dynamics and interactive demonstrations.

Tickets cost £8 standard, £6 concessions, £4 Ri Members.

Make a night of it! Come for a cocktail or something delicious, modern and British to eat in the bar. ‘Time & Space’ at the Ri has the perfect atmosphere for a casual night out.  Time & Space: cafe, bar and restaurant