The most basic physics of pole vault are easy to explain. A pole vaulter has to run as fast as they can toward a pit and jump with a pole. The running transfers the kinetic energy forward to kinetic energy going up. The goal is to be as efficient as possible to get as high as possible. There are a few factors in how to get higher, a faster run will allow for many things such as bigger and stiffer poles, and vault form is also a very important factor. To show the basic physics associated with pole vaulting, the kinetic energy of the vaulter has to equal the potential energy, due to gravity, at the height of the vault. In this, we are assuming that the vault is 100% efficient.
