Physics in Swimming

Module 2 Honors Extension: The Physics in Swimming
Physics is defined as the branch of science concerning the study of matter and energy and the interactions between the two. Physics tries to explain the nature of the world around us, how things happen and why. Swimming displays some physical properties, such as buoyancy, drag resistance and propulsion. We swimmers are at a constant battle to stay afloat, while fighting through the water and propelling ourselves forward, and we do so using technique.
Buoyancy is the power to float or rise in a fluid. This relates to swimming because when you’re in the water, you have to be able stay afloat. Buoyancy is the net upward force acting on the swimmer, as the depth of the water increases, so does the pressure. The pressure bellow the swimmer is greater than the pressure above it, which is how swimmers float. When you’re at the surface, there is less resistance since water is more resistant than air. So the goal for the swimmer is to stay as close to the surface as possible to be more buoyant. The higher up the swimmer is in the water, the less water they have to swim through, causing the swimmer to displace less water, to practically swim on top of the water. To establish this buoyancy, swimmers use technique. Because your upper body has a greater surface area than your lower body, it’s much easier for you upper body to float. So the goal is to keep the lower body streamlined, and to push your chest down so your hips can rise.
When it comes to combating drag, swimmers have three main types of drag acting on them: friction, wave and pressure drag. Frictional drag comes from the interaction between the swimmer’s body and the water, which slows down the swimmer. But if you look at Newton’s third law, for every action there’s an equal and opposite reaction, this frictional drag is not only slowing the swimmer down, it is also propelling the swimmer through the water. As the swimmer gets faster, pressure drag starts