Here's how Olympic athletes harness the crazy power of physics to win the gold

When you think of Olympic athletes training to compete, you probably don't imagine them in front of a chalkboard trying to understand things like angular momentum (that's how objects - or people - spin).

But believe it or not, understanding some basic physics can provide a new level of appreciation for how exactly Olympic athletes are able to do what they do. Harnessing the power of physics has also helped Olympians (and their coaches) figure out how to maximize their strength, speed, and motion.

Check out the physics behind these 16 Olympic sports, including some of the ways athletes apply what we know about physics to help them on their quest for gold.