A new exhibit at UC Berkeley's Lawrence Hall of Science explores the connection between skateboarding and physics.

"Physics relates to everything that we do," Berkeley physics professor Joel Fajans said. "This cool new exhibition shows how a visit to a local skatepark can demonstrate important physics principles."

Called "Tony Hawk: Rad Science," the traveling science exhibit features footage of Hawk skateboarding, as well as re-creations of skate parks, pools, and other interactive features to show how gravity, force, velocity, acceleration, inertia and balance work in skateboarding.

"Tony Hawk is famous for skateboarding, and UC Berkeley is famous for science," said Gretchen Walker, Associate Director of the Lawrence Hall of Science and a professor of physics at UC Berkeley. "This is a great match, like centripetal force to a kickflip."

The exhibit opened on June 2, in Berkeley, Calif., where Hawk, Lincoln Ueda, Jesse Fritsch, Kevin Staab, Elliot Sloan and Neal Hendrix put on a live demo on a vert ramp in front of the building.

"They're using skateboarding to explain scientific principles and physics," Hawk said. "Kids are hyped. They get to touch and feel and understand and come away that much smarter."