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When people talk about the physics of American football,
说起橄榄球中的物理知识
they normally mention force, torque, and so on…
人们通常会想到力和力矩之类的东西
Like how the energy from two linemen colliding is enough to power a 60W light bulb for over a minute,
比如两个前锋相撞时产生的能量足以点亮一个60瓦的灯泡
or is equivalent to an average person falling two stories off of a building!
或相当于一个人摔下两层楼所释放的能量
But there's another aspect of physics in football that isn't talked about as much – symmetry!
但橄榄球中其实还存在对称性
You might think symmetry is just for butterflies and rorschach tests,
你也许认为对称性只在蝴蝶和墨迹测验之类的东西上
but it's all over the place in football:
但它在球场上随处可见
there's translational symmetry when teams keep the same formations as they move up or down the field,
比如队伍以相同阵型移动时体现了平移对称
and rotational symmetry when they switch sides after a touchdown.
触地得分后交换场地体现了旋转对称
Even the ball has axial symmetry so it can spin smoothly through the air.
甚至橄榄球本身也是轴对称 以保持在空中平滑地旋转
But why is symmetry useful in the first place?
为什么对称性如此重要
Symmetry makes things easier, or at least more efficient;
因为对称使事情更加简单 或至少更加简便
it gives you a guide: "same scenario, same action."
它给你一个理念：同一种情景 同一种行动
That means you don't have to reinvent the wheel all the time:
这说明我们不需要重复发明轮子
to draw a straight line, you just keep drawing in the same direction.
要画直线 只用沿着一个方向画就行
For a circle, keep curving the same amount.
而画圆则只需一直弯曲相同程度
So when football players practice a play over and over,
所以橄榄球员不断练习的时候
the patterns of football become so ingrained in their reflexes they can act without thinking.
他们打球的模式就在他们的潜意识里变得根深蒂固
Psychologists call this "habit formation"; we call it "symmetry in time"!
心理学上称之为：习惯养成 我们称之为：时间上的同一性
And when players line up on the field the same way at the thirty, or forty, or fifty yard lines,
而球员以相同阵型排列在30,40和50码线上时
that's "symmetry in space".
称为：空间上的同一性
Even physics itself is symmetric – ever heard of Newton's law:
甚至物理定律都是对称的 比如牛顿第一定律
"a body in motion tends to stay in motion"?
运动物体趋向于保持运动
That's just nature saying "keep doing the same thing."
也就是保持当前的运动状态
What's more, Newton's laws of motion are the same now as they were yesterday,
此外 牛顿定律300年来没有任何变化
and they'll be the same again tomorrow!
将来也一样
Doesn't that make life easy? Ultimately, symmetry is what allows both science AND football to function -
总之 对称使得科学和橄榄球生效
if the laws of the universe (or the rules of football) changed from day to day,
如果宇宙或是橄榄球规则每天都在变
we wouldn't be able to repeat experiments, make predictions, or know what plays to practice.
我们将不能做出任何实验或预言 也不知道怎么练球
So when you reach for yet another handful of chips while watching the next football game,
所以下一次看超级碗的时候
know that millions across the country are doing exactly the same, in perfect symmetry.
别忘了美国数百万名球员都在重复相同的练习
