Hang Time: Definition & Michael Jordan's Record Leap
Chapter 1

Defying gravity with vertical leap

Chapter 2

The illusion of hang time

Chapter 3

Collision and the rim reaction

Chapter 4

Biomechanics of the slam

YOUR GOAL

Master of The physics of a slam dunk

Ch 1 · Defying gravity with vertical leap
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dave Arm swing as a rocket booster

Jul 26

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dave Physics of the Slam Dunk

We're spending half the flight just floating at the peak of the rise

Jul 26

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dave The secret of the stretch-shortening cycle

Jul 26

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Arm swing as a rocket booster

dave Swinging arms upward transfers momentum to lift the body higher.

Jul 26

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The secret of the stretch-shortening cycle

dave Rapid muscle stretching before a jump boosts vertical height.

Jul 26

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Hangtime Hoop
BETA

dave Time your jump at the rim to discover how gravity controls a dunker's hangtime.

Jul 26

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Fun Fact

Vertical leap energy: Elite dunkers push against the court with a force equal to four times their body weight to launch themselves upward.

Jul 26

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Glossary
hang time (noun)
The total time a person or object remains suspended in the air after jumping. Michael Jordan recorded a legendary hang time of 0.92 seconds during his 1988 slam dunk contest victory.

Jul 26

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Gossip

Which dunk style looks coolest?

Jul 26

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Quiz

If an elite basketball player weighs 200 pounds, how much downward force might they exert on the court during takeoff?

Jul 26

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dave The launch pad of ground reaction force

Jul 26

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Quiz

What is the step called where a running basketball player plants their foot to convert speed into height?

Jul 26

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dave The math of the approach run

Jul 26

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Quiz

How does storing energy in tendons during a pre-jump bend compare to jumping from a static, still crouch?

Jul 26

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Quiz

By approximately what percentage can a proper two-arm swing increase a basketball player's jump height?

Jul 26

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Quiz

What is the biological mechanism called that stores elastic energy in tendons during a quick pre-jump bend?

Jul 26

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Quiz

Which physical law explains why the floor pushes a jumping basketball player upward with equal force?

Jul 26

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Quiz

How does a running start help a basketball player jump higher than a standing leap?

Jul 26

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Quiz

According to Newton's third law of motion, how does a basketball player initiate a jump?

Jul 26