First, because the force of gravity is constant, g will be the same no matter how a punter kicks the ball. That may look like a complicated equation, but a couple of the variables can be ignored. For any projectile under gravity's influence, the distance attained during its flight is equal to sin(2θ) X v²/g, where v is the projectile's initial speed, g is the acceleration toward Earth due to gravity and θ is the angle at which the projectile is launched. Parabolas have been studied for millennia, and their properties are well understood. (In real life a projectile's flight is affected not only by gravity but by wind and drag from air resistance, so the parabola would not be perfect.)

Like all projectiles, a football, once released, follows a path known in mathematical terms as a parabola-a symmetric arc that eventually returns the ball back to the ground. Earth's gravitational pull makes long-range passing a challenge and pulls down even the hardest-struck punts and placekicks.īecause gravity is a constant, experienced quarterbacks and kickers can account for its effects to move the ball downfield as efficiently as possible.

In any football game both teams square off against each other and against a shared opponent as well-gravity.

In the Projectile Motion episode of NBC Learn's 'The Science of NFL Football,' you see that punted footballs travel in an arc known to mathematicians as a parabola.

Range of projectile