The science of sport: Perimeter Institute explains the physics of Olympic events

If you have ever wondered why a sprinter has muscular arms or the science behind pole vaulting, the Perimeter Institute in Waterloo has the answers.

The institute has released a photo seriesas part of its monthly Slice of PI seriesthat discuss the physics behind events in The Olympic Games, including archery, diving, gymnastics and discus.

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"The Olympics just seemed like the perfect occasion to look at some of the underlying science behind sports. You know, it really boils down to the fact that everything is physics and sports is sort of physics taken to the extreme. It's the human body trying to work with and sort of maximize the forces at play in physics to achieve what the rest of us can only dream of achieving," the institute's director of communications and mediaColin Hunter said.

Among his favourites are the pole vault and discus facts.

"Everyone can visualize the form of a jumper whether a high jumper or a pole vaulter going over the bar, but we don't tend to stop and think about what are the forces at play there," he said.

Check out a few of the images below or on the Perimeter Institute's website.