Tumble turn

High school (ages 12+)
Sports & Games

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/tumble-turn

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the biomechanical principle?Reduces moment of inertia through tucking to increase rotational speed
2. What is the historical context?Popularized by Al Vande Weghe around 1934, revolutionizing race strategy
3. What is a tumble turn in swimming?A tumble turn is a flip turn that swimmers do underwater to keep moving fast. They tuck into a tight ball and flip, then push off the wall to go straight again.
4. Why do swimmers tuck into a ball during a tumble turn?Tucking makes the swimmer lighter and easier to spin. It lets them flip quickly and reach the wall faster.

Angular Momentum: The quantity of motion in a rotating body, dependent on mass, velocity, and distribution of mass.
Moment of Inertia: A measure of an object's resistance to changes in its rotation.