IRS Project
Presentation
Done By Randy Tan
Research Question
Does wearing a swim cap or a swimsuit
make you swim faster?
Hypothesis
Wearing a swimcap and a swimsuit will make
you swim faster
Background Research: International
Requirements and Limitations
• Swimwear must be approved by FINA at least 12 months prior to any
competitions.
• No technological-doping mechanism of any kind (compression of body, extra
water-repellent) is allowed for the swimsuit. (e.g. the banned “Blue Seventy
Nero Comp” and the banned “Speedo LZR racer swimsuit”)
• The swimmer must wear only one swimsuit in one or two pieces. No additional
items, like arm bands or leg bands shall be regarded as parts of a swimsuit
• Swimwear for men shall not extend above the navel nor below the knees, and
for women, shall not cover the neck, extend past the shoulder, nor shall extend
below knee.
• All swimsuits are to be made with textile materials.
Background Research : Factors that
affect speed
1. Water Resistance
2. Swimmer’s Energy level
3. Underwater pressure
4. Characteristics of swimwear (e.g. tightness of swimwear, size of
swimwear etc.)
5. Weight of swimmer
6. Current Flow
7. Turbulence
8. Skill of swimmer
Controversy Behind The Question
Whether wearing different types of swimwear
(e.g. Swim cap, swimsuit) will affect your speed.
Experimental Procedures
Step 1: Swim until you are very tired. Before you start, get someone to take
pictures
Step 2: wear swimming trunks, get into the swimming pool and swim 50
meters freestyle at the surface. Take down the timing.
Step 3: Dry yourself, wear a swim cap, get into swimming pool and swim 50
meters freestyle at the surface. Record the timing.
Step 4: take off swim cap, change to swim suit, get into swimming pool and
swim 50 meters freestyle at the surface. Record the timing.
Step 5: Dry yourself, wear back swim cap, get into swimming pool and swim
50 meters freestyle at the surface. Record the timing.
Step 6: Repeat step 2 to step 5 once each week for 4 more weeks.
Problems and Solutions
S
Problem no.1: As you swim more and
more, you will get slower and slower until a p
certain speed. e
Solution no.1: Swim until that limit, then e
start the experiment
d
Problem no.2: As the water pressure Time
increases as you swim deeper, it will affect
your speed.
Solution no.2: Swim at the surface
Problem no.3: The weather will affect the
current (e.g. strong winds make rippling waves
across a swimming pool)
Solution no.3: Do the experiment on sunny
days only, and make sure no one is
swimming in front of you.
References
www.FINA.com
www.wikipedia.com