Bowling Physics
How Lamar’s Bad Prank Won a Bubba Sized Trophy
Crystal Allen
1. Purpose (objective): In the book How Lamar's Big Prank Won a Bubba-Sized Trophy, Lamar
Washington is a bowler. Having bowled for years, he now instinctively knows how hard to
throw the ball and where to aim so that as many pins as possible fall down. He is not
consciously thinking about physics, , but he is using principals of physics to achieve good results.
In this activity, we will use principles of physics and bowling to measure how objects
with various masses affect stationary objects when propelled with similar force toward the
stationary objects.
This lab can be used for 6th and 8th grades.
2. TEKS (Science, force and motion)
6th grade:
(8) Force, motion, and energy. The student knows force and motion are related to potential and
kinetic energy. The student is expected to:
(A) compare and contrast potential and kinetic energy;
(B) identify and describe the changes in position, direction, and speed of an object when
acted upon by unbalanced forces;
(C) calculate average speed using distance and time measurements;
(D) measure and graph changes in motion; and
(E) investigate how inclined planes and pulleys can be used to change the amount of force
to move an object.
8th grade:
(6) Force, motion, and energy. The student knows that there is a relationship between force,
motion, and energy. The student is expected to:
(F) demonstrate and calculate how unbalanced forces change the speed or direction of an
object's motion;
(G) differentiate between speed, velocity, and acceleration; and
(H) investigate and describe applications of Newton's law of inertia, law of force and
acceleration, and law of action-reaction such as in vehicle restraints, sports activities,
amusement park rides, Earth's tectonic activities, and rocket launches.
3. Detailed Description:
Make the pins by putting the same amount of ballast material (sand, gravel, water) in each
bottle. Use a scale or a measuring container to assure that the amounts are equal.
Arrange the room so that there are "lanes" (clear spaces), one "lane" for each group. These may
be marked with a piece of masking tape to position the ramp. The masking tape should be 2 to
3 feet from the head pin.
Students may be in pairs or in groups of three or four. Give each group at least two different
types of ball and 10 pins. Have students set the pins up in a bowling pattern about 3 inches
from a wall or other backdrop (you can make a backdrop of cardboard or wood if no wall is
available). This is to prevent the pins from scattering too far to the back. One student
will carefully position the ball at the head of the ramp and release it. The other students will
observe and record whether the pins are knocked down or not, how many are knocked down,
how they look when they land, and how far they scatter with each type of ball used.
Each group should roll at least two different types of ball to see what occurs with each one. The
rest of the group will note how many pins fell, which ones fell, and make a diagram showing
how they fell. All students in the group should have a chance to roll a ball and hit the pins.
Students will record their observations in journals or on paper. Some outcomes they may want
to record are: What are the effects of ball size on the pins? Do heavier balls knock down more
pins than lighter balls? What patterns do the pins make when they fall? Also, if different heights
were used for the ramps, how did this affect the results? Eighth graders should also include
which of Newton's laws are demonstrated by the activity.
Each group will write a brief lab report describing their results. This report should include
diagrams of the fallen pins, several graphs showing who threw which balls and how many pins
were knocked down, and any conclusions that they can draw about the effects of stationary
objects being hit by moving objects.
Evaluation of the report may be done using a rubric, or it may be a participation grade. A rubric
is included, but you may want to develop your own.
4. Books to display:
Abramovitz, Melissa. Bowling. Lucent, 2014
Allen, Crystal. How Lamar’s bad prank won a Bubba-sized trophy. New York: Balzer & Bray,
2011.
Cruickshank, Don. Bowling. AV2 by Weigl, 2014
List of Supplies:
Bowling pins made of 10 plastic bottles of equal size and shape (water or soda bottles 16 or 20
ounce size, all one shape; one liter water bottles all one shape; 2 liter soda bottles)
Sand, pea gravel, or water to put in the bottles as ballast so they will be stable while standing.
Three or four balls of different sizes and weights.
Suggestions; tennis ball, small playground ball, golf ball, croquet or bocce ball, softball,
baseball.
Scale to weigh balls (and possibly ballast material)
Container for transferring ballast to bottles (may also be used to measure ballast amount if not
using scale for this purpose)
Enough ramps 2 to 3 feet in length (or of varying lengths) to accommodate the number of
groups of students
Supports for the ramps, either uniform in height or of different heights for each ramp
Rulers, yardsticks, tape measures for measuring how far the pins scatter
Journals or paper and pencils or pens to record findings, make charts, and write up the results.
5. Incentives: The lab write-ups may be displayed.
6. Professional Resources:
Forrest, A. J, and Lisa Iannucci. Bowling for Dummies. N.p., For Dummies, 2010.
Grinfelds, Vesma. Right down your alley : the complete book of bowling New York: Wadsworth,
2011
http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php (for creating rubrics)
http://ffden-2.phys.uaf.edu/211_fall2004.web.dir/Craig_Stephenson/index.html
http://www.real-world-physics-problems.com/physics-of-bowling.html