Some Physics behind Sumo Wrestling

The following video provides an introduction to the popular Japanese sport of Sumo Wrestling.



Why does the Sumo Wrestler maintain a "Bottom-Heavy" Body and wrestles with legs wide apart?

Remember the objective in order to win is to be able to knock the opponent down or out of the ring. Therefore, it is of paramount importance that the body of each individual sumo wrestler be made as stable as possible.

Recall the two conditions of increasing stability:
Increase the base area
Lower the centre of gravity

Hence, the reason why the wrestlers maintain a "Bottom-Heavy" Body is to ensure that centre of gravity is made as low as possible.

Also, the reason the wrestlers stand with their legs apart is to increase the base area of their bodies.

With these two factors considered, they can improve their stability and increase their chances of winning the match! =)

The Physics behind the secret of Tightrope Walking

Have you ever wondered why some people can walk on tightropes without falling off?



The secret lies in the way they position themselves on the rope.
Whatever positions tightrope walkers adopt on the tightrope, they would do it such that their centre of gravity is always in line vertically with the point of contact (pivot) between their legs and the rope.

In this manner, their weight cannot exert a moment about the pivot (because perpendicular distance = 0) to cause them to turn and topple to either side of the rope!

Can you see how useful the physics principles you learn in school are!