Science Xplained: How physics serves tennis

A little physics goes a long way on the tennis court. In this edition of Science Xplained, Dr. Ainissa Ramirez discusses tennis racket technology–from wood and cow intestines to carbon fiber and nylon — and the principles behind topspin.

Physics, anyone? In this segment, Yale scientist Ainissa Ramirez discusses how the strings in a tennis racket — often constructed of synthetic or natural materials — make the important topspin shot possible. She shows how knowing physics can give your game an advantage.