Two students are competing to determine who can hit a hockey puck to reach a faster maximum velocity. Both students push the hockey puck the same displacement before releasing it at the same time. Using a hockey puck radar, the students determine the maximum velocity of Student A’s hockey puck is twice the maximum velocity of Student B’s hockey puck. The students discuss how Student B could hit a hockey puck faster than Student A’s.

Student A claims that if Student B hit the hockey puck twice as hard, both hockey pucks would have reached the same maximum velocity. Student B claims that the hockey puck would need to be hit exactly four times harder to have a greater maximum velocity than Student A’s hockey puck.

Which student, if any, is correct? Explain your reasoning.

The physics of hockey is a broad subject of analysis, covering key aspects related to performance and equipment design. Experienced hockey players are generally aware of (either directly or indirectly) how physics plays a role in their ability to play the game. The purpose of this page is to discuss how the game of hockey and physics go together.

Note that the information presented below is largely based on the book by Alain Haché: The Physics of Hockey, and the website: http://www.thephysicsofhockey.com

The book by Alain Haché goes into much greater detail on the physics of hockey than I do on this page.