04- Courtney Alsbrook - Science Fair Report Essays (450 words)

Courtney Alsbrook Science Fair May 14, 2012 Ms.Geiger Introduction My topic is "How does distance affect shooting percentage?" I chose this experiment because I'm a basketball player/fan, and I'd like to know how the different obstacles that come up during a game affect play on the court. This is important, because it could help other players, specialists, and coaches, make decisions on what shots they should go for over the course of a game. According to my research, 3 point shots, the shot with the furthest distance, require more strength and accuracy than short and mid-range jump-shots. The further back you move, the more force you have to apply to the ball, and the more accurate you need to be for the ball to go in. Hypothesis I think that if you increase distance of a jump-shot, then the shooting percentage will decrease, because more distance requires more strength and accuracy. Variables Independent: Distance Dependent: Shooting Percentage Procedure Materials NBA regulation sized Basketball Regulation height rim (10Ft) 10 Basketball Players Gym Calculator Procedure Have each person shoot 10 shots from short range Have each person shoot 10 shots from foul line (jumpshot) Have each person shoot 10 shots from 3pt. Calculate Percentages Shooting Percentage from Short Range #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 90% 50% 80% 100% 100% 90% 60% 80% 100% 70% Shooting Percentage from Medium Range (Foul Line) #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 80% 50% 40% 80% 100% 60% 90% 100% 80% 70% Shooting Percentage from Long Range (3pt.Line) Shooters #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 % 50% 30% 80% 20% 70% 10% 0% 60% 0% 10% Conclusion My topic question was, "How does distance affect shooting percentage?" The answer is, distance negatively affects shooting percentage. The avg. decrease in shooting percentage between short range jumpshots, and long range jumpshots is about 43%. Therefore, my hypothesis is correct. My results show that the greater the distance of a shot, the less likely it is for you to make it. I think these were the results because, the higher the distance of a shot, the more strength and accuracy required. My experiment affects the real world because coaches, and players can choose the shots taken in games more wisely. If they see my results and have more reason to believe that distance hurts percentage, they can make better decisions on what shots to take. In the future, I plan to test which Sports Drink helps energize players best.