Newton's 2nd Law and the Physics of Dance

Abstract: In teaching the physical sciences, a significant challenge lies in the student's tendency to consider the scientific world and the "real" world as separate. For example, Newton's 1st Law of Motion states that an object in motion remains in motion in a straight line unless acted on by an external force. However, our experience tells us that most objects keep moving only as long as someone or something pushes on them. One key to understanding physics is the ability to abstract the "law" from a reality which also includes friction and other effects. In this article we describe a college course for non-science majors, The Physics of Dance. The central theme of this course is the personalization of the physics of motion by making each student the object. With this approach we give students not only scientific tools to measure and understand but personal involvement to experience forces and motion. This combination provides a bridge that connects the science to reality.