Materials used in the sport of Football

Football is a team game played by both men and women. Versions of
the game can be traced back as far as the 8th century.
The game was formalised into what we recognise as football today in
1863 with the creation of the British Football Federation.
One of the links between football and science can be seen in the
materials used in the game.
Materials can be found in:
The clothing the players wear
The ball that they kick
The goal they score into
The pitch they play on
Football and science

Footballs are made from two layers, an outer layer and an inner layer.
Old footballs were made from:
Outer layer – leather. This would have been the skin or hide of an animal, normally a cow.
Inner layer or ‘bladder’ – this was actually made out of a bladder, normally from a pig.
The football (historic)

Modern day footballs are made from manmade materials:
Outer layer – Synthetic (manmade) leather or plastic
Inner layer or ‘bladder’ - Latex or butyl – to hold air in.
Properties of synthetic leather include it being
durable and resistant to abrasion (does not get
scratched, scuffed or torn easily), which make it
more appealing than natural leather.
Properties of latex include it being flexible,
stretchy; it has elastic characteristics and feels
rubbery.
The football (modern day)

Another example of where modern manmade materials have replaced
traditional natural materials.
Historically, the gloves would have been made
from natural fabrics and leather.
Modern manmade gloves are now made from
synthetic leather, rubber, neoprene and cloth.
The properties of rubber include it having elastic
characteristics and being, strong, hard to tear and durable.
Neoprene traps water between its layers, keeping
a goalie's hands warm and can be used in all weather conditions.
Goalkeeper’s Gloves

Most materials found on the football pitch are synthetic or manmade.
Metal can also be found on the pitch as steel tubing, a form of metal that is used to make the goal posts.
Properties of metals include;
Strong
Inflexible
Durable
Shiny when cut
Conducts heat and electricity
One problem with metal is that it can be damaged (corroded) by water and
other liquids. To stop this happening metals are often coated in a layer
which keeps the water away from the metal. With goal posts, white paint
is used which gives the posts their colour.
Goal Posts – Materials made from
metal

Manmade materials – These are sometimes called synthetic
materials and are made from combining chemicals, or through
processes such as fractional distillation of crude oil. Plastics are a
common type of synthetic material.
Natural materials – These are materials which come from living things
such as hides of animals for leather or wood from trees.
Metals – These are normally shiny when cut and greyish in colour, Inflexible, very strong and will conduct heat and electricity.
Re-cap - types of materials

Footballs are made up of two layers, an outer layer and an inner
layer. Answer the following questions on the inner layer of a football.
What is the inner layer of a football often called?
The inner layer of a football is often called the ‘bladder’.
What natural material did the inner layer of a football used to be
made from?
A pig’s bladder was the natural material the inner layer of a football
used to be made from.
What material is the inner layer of a football made from in modern
day footballs?
Modern day footballs' inner layers are now made from manmade
latex or butyl.
Worksheet answers Q1 (a, b & c)

What are the common properties or characteristics of a metal?
A metal is:
Strong
Durable
Inflexible, or rigid
Shiny when cut
Other answers could include; greyish in colour (if not coated or
painted), conducts heat and electricity.
Worksheet answers Q2