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Taking a Forensics Approach to History

2020; Morgan & Claypool Publishers; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1007/978-3-031-02086-5_1

2690-0327

Gregory A. DiLisi, Richard A. Rarick,

Sports Dynamics and Biomechanics

Scientists no longer adopt a strictly passive approach to history. Instead, they bring sophisticated analytical tools to scrutinize why certain events happened. Far from being a set of agreed upon immutable facts, the historical record is now open to re-examination and re-interpretation. The 2015 American Football Conference Championship game between the New England Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts, better known as "Deflategate," is a powerful example of how the historical record can be re-opened time after time. At halftime of this game, officials determined that 11 of the 12 footballs being used by the Patriots on offense were significantly underinflated. The team was immediately accused of intentionally using underinflated balls to give its offense an advantage. We present the historical debate as: "Did the New England Patriots cheat during the AFC Championship game of 2015?" Although our laboratory activity could focus on the ideal gas law and the effects of temperature on pressure, a simple analysis of the sound of bouncing balls resolves the debate. Sound waves from various professional-grade sports balls are analyzed as they bounce off of the floor. Discussions of projectile motion, conservation of energy, and linear impulse/momentum support the analysis.