(Press-News.org) Football fascinates millions of fans, almost all of them unaware that the game is subject to the laws of physics. Despite their seemingly arbitrary decisions, players obey certain rules, as they constantly adjust their positions in relation to their teammates, opponents, the ball and the goal. A team of Japanese scientists has now analysed the time-dependent fluctuation of both the ball and all players' positions throughout an entire match. They discovered that a simple rule governs the complex dynamics of the ball and the team's front-line. These findings, published in EPJ B, could have implications for other ball games, providing a new perspective on sports science.
The authors considered two scenarios of previous football matches. Namely, they focused on a quarter-final game in the 2008 FIFA Club World Cup and a regular game in the 2011 Japanese soccer league. Using a digital video camera, they then recorded the time fluctuation in the positions of all players and the ball.
Thanks to their analysis of the time-series variation in the ball versus the front-line movements of the players, they were the first to discover that these dynamics have a fractal nature. This finding implies that the movement of the ball/front-line at any given time has a strong influence on subsequent actions. This is due to the so-called memory effect, linked to the game's fractal nature.
The authors therefore found that for professional football games, the ball possession time for one team lasts only thirty seconds, at most. As a result, the superiority of one team tends to persist for thirty seconds or less before the other team gets an opportunity to regain the advantage. The authors show that their conclusion is in broad agreement with previous studies on the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
INFORMATION:Reference:
A. Kijima, K. Yokoyama, H.Shima, and Y. Yamamoto (2014), Emergence of self-similarity in football dynamics, European Physical Journal B, DOI 10.1140/epjb/e2014-40987-5
For more information visit: http://www.epj.org
The full-text article is available to journalists on request.
Football displays fractal dynamics
Physicists reveal that the real-time dynamics in a football game are subject to self-similarity characteristics in keeping with the laws of physics
2014-03-19
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Rice grad student deciphers 1,800-year-old letter from Egyptian soldier
2014-03-19
A newly deciphered 1,800-year-old letter from an Egyptian solider serving in a Roman legion in Europe to his family back home shows striking similarities to what some soldiers may be feeling here and now.
Rice Religious Studies graduate student Grant Adamson took up the task in 2011 when he was assigned the papyrus to work on during a summer institute hosted at Brigham Young University (BYU).
The private letter sent home by Roman military recruit Aurelius Polion was originally discovered in 1899 by the expedition team of Grenfell and Hunt in the ancient Egyptian city ...
Physical activity and occasional drinking found to be associated with decrease in vision impairment
2014-03-19
A physically active lifestyle and occasional drinking is associated with a reduced risk of developing visual impairment, according to a study published online this month in Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Visual impairment – sight loss often caused by eye disease, trauma, or a congenital or degenerative condition that cannot be corrected with glasses or contact lenses – is associated with a poorer quality of life and, when severe, loss of independence. In 2020, the number of people in the United States with visual impairment is projected ...
Overdiagnosing cancer may lead to unnecessary, dangerous procedures
2014-03-19
Overdiagnosing cancer may lead to unnecessary, dangerous procedures
Article provided by Miracle Pruzan & Pruzan
Visit us at http://www.miraclelaw.com
When you go to the doctor, the last thing you want to hear is that your physician has found a lump. The threat of cancer is unnerving and generally leaves the patient hoping to eradicate the problem as quickly as possible. Nevertheless, a new study has revealed that aggressive treatment may not always be the optimal solution for those diagnosed with cancer.
According to a recent study -- published in the journal ...
Collaborative divorce touted as cheaper alternative to standard divorce
2014-03-19
Collaborative divorce touted as cheaper alternative to standard divorce
Article provided by Law Office of Lori Watson
Visit us at http://www.olivarezlaw.com/
The collaborative divorce option has gained popularity in Texas and across the United States in recent years, partly because of the claim that it costs less than a conventional divorce. While there is a lack of data to prove that assertion, lawyers and others familiar with the process agree that collaborative divorces normally result in financial savings.
Texas billionaire oilman T. Boone Pickens agrees ...
Utah adoption matter highlights the differences among state laws
2014-03-19
Utah adoption matter highlights the differences among state laws
Article provided by Brown Law LLC
Visit us at http://www.utdivorceattorney.com
This legislative session, there are a number of bills before the Utah Legislature, which could potentially amend the state's adoption statute to address issues raised in several different types of matters.
For example, one bill would provide an unwed father more time to respond after he is given notice that an adoption concerning his child is pending in the state. In general, most of the proposed laws get to the issue ...
Recovering economy leading to rising divorce rate in US
2014-03-19
Recovering economy leading to rising divorce rate in US
Article provided by Law Offices of Victoria S. Linder
Visit us at http://www.sacramentoattorneys.net
According to recent research, the burgeoning economy may have more positive effects than those clearly visible to most Americans. Many people are likely appreciating increased job security and potentially even higher raises than they were accustomed to during the recession. These financial benefits are affecting people in their personal lives, as well, based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
As people ...
New report shows 9 people killed by distracted drivers daily in US
2014-03-19
New report shows 9 people killed by distracted drivers daily in US
Article provided by Wills & Adams, LLP
Visit us at http://www.willsadams.com
For many Colorado drivers, multitasking while behind the wheel is likely a common occurrence. Motorists may answer a call while on the way to work or attempt to respond to a text message while out running errands. These widespread habits are risky, however, and can lead to serious auto collisions.
Recent statistics released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention may now give Colorado motorists pause before ...
Unlawful and unfair pregnancy discrimination is alive and well in Ohio
2014-03-19
Unlawful and unfair pregnancy discrimination is alive and well in Ohio
Article provided by Dinn, Hochman & Potter, L.L.C.
Visit us at http://www.dhplaw.com
Federal and Ohio state laws prohibit discrimination in employment based on pregnancy, as a type of sex or gender discrimination. Employees who are pregnant, facing childbirth or suffering from related medical conditions must be treated equally to similar employees who are not pregnant. Most, but not all, Ohio employers are subject to the prohibitions against pregnancy discrimination.
Discrimination can ...
Divorce rate appears to be on the rise
2014-03-19
Divorce rate appears to be on the rise
Article provided by Adelman & Seide, LLP V
isit us at http://www.adelman-seide.com
For the past few decades, researchers have believed that the U.S. divorce rate is on the decline. U.S. Census data seemed to show that the divorce rate reached its highest point in the mid-1970s and has been steadily declining ever since. A new study shows, however, that this long-held belief appears to be incorrect.
Researchers at the University of Minnesota's Minnesota Population Center recently published a study in the journal Demography ...
Oklahoma divorce ruling finds company stock is separate property
2014-03-19
Oklahoma divorce ruling finds company stock is separate property
Article provided by The Pilkington Law Firm, PLLC
Visit us at http://www.pilkingtonlawfirm.com
The division of business assets in a divorce can have a dramatic effect on the future course and survival of a company. Control of an Oklahoma City-based oil company called Continental Resources Inc. has been in question since the divorce proceedings of Harold and Sue Ann Hamm became public.
In a recent ruling, an Oklahoma judge held that 122 million shares of Continental are pre-marital or separate property, ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Walking, moving more may lower risk of cardiovascular death for women with cancer history
Intracortical neural interfaces: Advancing technologies for freely moving animals
Post-LLM era: New horizons for AI with knowledge, collaboration, and co-evolution
“Sloshing” from celestial collisions solves mystery of how galactic clusters stay hot
Children poisoned by the synthetic opioid, fentanyl, has risen in the U.S. – eight years of national data shows
USC researchers observe mice may have a form of first aid
VUMC to develop AI technology for therapeutic antibody discovery
Unlocking the hidden proteome: The role of coding circular RNA in cancer
Advancing lung cancer treatment: Understanding the differences between LUAD and LUSC
Study reveals widening heart disease disparities in the US
The role of ubiquitination in cancer stem cell regulation
New insights into LSD1: a key regulator in disease pathogenesis
Vanderbilt lung transplant establishes new record
Revolutionizing cancer treatment: targeting EZH2 for a new era of precision medicine
Metasurface technology offers a compact way to generate multiphoton entanglement
Effort seeks to increase cancer-gene testing in primary care
Acoustofluidics-based method facilitates intracellular nanoparticle delivery
Sulfur bacteria team up to break down organic substances in the seabed
Stretching spider silk makes it stronger
Earth's orbital rhythms link timing of giant eruptions and climate change
Ammonia build-up kills liver cells but can be prevented using existing drug
New technical guidelines pave the way for widespread adoption of methane-reducing feed additives in dairy and livestock
Eradivir announces Phase 2 human challenge study of EV25 in healthy adults infected with influenza
New study finds that tooth size in Otaria byronia reflects historical shifts in population abundance
nTIDE March 2025 Jobs Report: Employment rate for people with disabilities holds steady at new plateau, despite February dip
Breakthrough cardiac regeneration research offers hope for the treatment of ischemic heart failure
Fluoride in drinking water is associated with impaired childhood cognition
New composite structure boosts polypropylene’s low-temperature toughness
While most Americans strongly support civics education in schools, partisan divide on DEI policies and free speech on college campuses remains
Revolutionizing surface science: Visualization of local dielectric properties of surfaces
[Press-News.org] Football displays fractal dynamicsPhysicists reveal that the real-time dynamics in a football game are subject to self-similarity characteristics in keeping with the laws of physics