Curling | Science of the Winter Olympics

Curling has been in the Winter Olympics for four years now, but it still seems a little strange to most of us. John Shuster, the captain--or "skip"--of the U.S. Curling Team in Vancouver, explains this unusual sport, and NSF-funded scientists Sam Colbeck, a retired scientist from the U.S. Army Cold Regions Lab and physicist George Tuthill of Plymouth State University explain the friction that makes it all work.
NBC Learn, the educational arm of NBC News, has teamed up with the National Science Foundation (NSF) to produce Science of the Olympic Winter Games, a 16-part video series that explores the science behind individual Olympic events, including Downhill and Aerial Skiing, Speed Skating and Figure Skating, Curling and Hockey, and Ski Jumping, Bobsledding and Snowboarding.
This groundbreaking project between the NSF and NBC Learn uses the global spotlight of the Olympics to make science more accessible and more interesting to students by showing how science helps athletes fulfill the Olympic motto: Citius, Altius, Fortius--Swifter, Higher, Stronger. Read more about the "Science of the Olympic Winter Games" at www.nsf.gov/new....

[@Kitty-uv8tw]

My STEAM teacher told my class to watch this on our own and finish a worksheet. I thought it would be really boring, but this is actually pretty cool

[@froggynzack]

Tha k yoy so much. All the other videos eere talking about rules and what not and i just wanted to know how it works

[@ren3557]

koooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooolllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll. i love curling.

[@johneverling5766]

Very nice!

[@mrdandrea]

I dare say, they couldn't make it be any more ludicrous?

[@ChannelOne-1]

If the brushing is intended to make the stones go faster why don't they just push it harder in the first place and dispense with all the insane brushing that starts immediately?

[@danielholmes9114]

because its impossible to correct an over weighted shot

[@danny_yeets]

bradcss you sweep not only for distance and speed but for line. When I throw my rock it will curl, sometimes you don't want it to curl so it is swept to keep it as close to the original path as possible. Also the faster I throw my rock, the less it will curl which is why take out shots are much faster then the standard draw or guard shots.

[@mesmerizineyez]

But what if the curlers accidentally touch the rock with the sweepers, is there a penalty or disqualification?

[@sudocide]

That's called a burn, and the stone is taken out of play if it happens.

[@mesmerizineyez]

Topkeknea
thanks for clearing that up

[@njso18]

that's quite cool, actually.

[@NawodhJaya]

Still strange

[@seamusmckay881]

who else is here from science class

[@folyobembay73]

Ay Seamus whats good

[@ren3557]

swegg

[@awhoergek]

Wow, now I don't find curling the most stupid sport anymore -_-
I think it's really cool, because of the friction and the broom -_-