Are heavy bats are more powerful than light bats? When a pitch is played, a turbulent stream of air runs behind the ball. The node is related to where the sweet spot is - where the bat does NOT bend or vibrate. window.mc4wp.listeners.push( Metal bats have the distinct composition of wood bats and the balance of pop and density that wood bats lack, whereas wood bats fly faster and farther when hit by wood bats. A bat is similar to a racquet but there are some obvious differences. callback: cb The ball also generates potential energy through the bat, resulting in a powerful, far-reaching hit. The result was not a super slow softball spin, neither was it particularly fast. /N 19 0 R The experiment described below would be an ideal project on the physics of baseball, for any high school or University physics student. This is due to the fact that the collision is able to create a larger transfer of energy when the bat and ball are in perfect alignment. Bat speed depends on MOI, and is an important component of laboratory performance tests. QuickTime movie files A and B show a baseball bouncing on a block of granite. According to Science Daily, human hands are sensitive to vibration frequencies between 200-700 hertz and we experience the most pain when those frequencies are between 600-700 hertz. Two ounces doesnt seem like much but Ive seen it make a large difference. So, why does the MLB still use wooden bats? >> I simply wanted to know whether a hand launched ball spins at around 100 rpm or whether it could be as high as 1000 rpm. There are some models that include oak, but it is not as popular as maple or ash. /N 21 0 R The bounce factor found from these and some additional impacts is shown below. . The diagram below shows the swing of a wood bat filmed from a spot above the batters head. Baseball players obsession with bats is second nature to them. When a batter hits a ball, the bat will rebound from the force of the collision. << The true CoP should be measured from that point. For that reason, the walls of a hollow bat need to be relatively stiff so they can vibrate at a frequency larger than 1000 Hz. The impact point 2 cm from the tip of the Easton bat is a dead spot where the ball doesn't bounce at all, so q = 0. How is this described in Mechanics? Are you a fan of composite or wood? An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. [/CalRGB If the bat is at rest then we can define the ball speed ratio, Bounce Factor = q = (ball exit speed) / (incident ball speed). The stiffness of a cylinder was found to be roughly proportional to its length x (wall thickness / diameter) squared (rather than cubed, since the wall thickness is not negligible compared with the radius for most of these tubes). window.mc4wp = window.mc4wp || { We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. dKoL!8Ka#EV,@V!\j8ZFbp6EE<9cn=N6j0nf;(&;QU6bUD')c@\ It would therefore not be surprising if a softball can be pitched at say 1000 rpm. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. (function() { << endobj A great way to keep a rhythm throughout your swing is to step or stride toward the pitcher. George Jackson is the founder and lead contributor of Physics Network, a popular blog dedicated to exploring the fascinating world of physics. When it comes to the distance traveled by a ball, speed and speed at which it sails off the bat are all important factors. The weight of a bat can be calculated by subtracting the minus number from the length, which in this case is 33 minus -3, equaling 30 ounces. Softer and less dense varieties of maple that are more likely to break have been banned by Major League Baseball. << An aluminum bat is much lighter than a wooden bat, increasing its range and allowing it to hit the ball farther. The bat slows down after the collision (bat speed approximately cut in half), but the bat continues to rotate as a rigid object with no vibration. Coefficient of Restitution = Relative speed of bat and ball after collision/ relative speed before collision, where "speed of bat" is the speed of the bat at the impact point. When you hit the sweet spot, the bat feels the best in your hand. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. I havent listened to different recordings of hits to see if theres a noticeable difference, says Russell. Despite the old timey aesthetic to wooden bats and sweet spots, scientists actually didnt know much of anything about the acoustics (yes, acoustics) of a bat until the 1980s and 90s. The flight of a ball through the air depends strongly on how fast it spins, and in what direction it spins. Pitching Trajectories.- 5. 1 inch in length is huge. 22 0 obj If the ball is struck at the sweet spot of the bat, then the batter feels almost no effect at all. The impact of a bat and a ball is still not properly understood. Adding to that is the fact that bats have narrower handles than in the past which makes the bat less sturdy and more prone to breakage. Mass has no effect on distance, but if you cant generate enough bat speed to overcome mass, you are doing yourself no favors and going backwards. Why? The effect is known as the "trampoline effect". The reversal of the spin in each bounce implies that there is some tangential elastic behaviour of the ball in a direction parallel to the block. Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Service. The ball is 72 mm in diameter. You can find the sweet spot by gripping the bat handle with one hand in the same place as when youre swinging. /V 10 0 R Batters know from experience that there is a sweet spot on the bat, about 17 cm from the end of the barrel, where the shock of the impact, felt by the hands, is reduced to such an extent that the batter is almost unaware of the collision. Step up to the batters box and get warmed up for the physics of baseball bats with this great video from ESPN Sports Science. When a bat is made out of a hard material, it allows the bat to transfer more energy to the ball when it is hit, enabling the ball to move faster and farther. (7Boo^^S:71(MN]ZQX/+Cbu.lK"p74pe1T%s.DY%&\1TdJhr54.M9au6>79n6`Q:4 In this article, well explore the various components that go into making a baseball bat, as well as how they work together to help a hitter put their best foot forward. In Section 4, we present a dynamical model to modeling the sweet spot on a baseball bat. When Your Dream (Team/School/Job) Says "No". The three elements of a game of baseball are critical, and the game is built around Newtons laws of motion. Its center of mass is 52.6 cm from the knob end. >> A high performance bat has a strong trampoline effect and hence a relatively large COR. In recent years, an acoustics professor and engineer, Daniel Russell, from Pennsylvania State University helped, Bat-Ball Science Mass Moment of Inertia article, The Science Behind Breaking Baseball Bats, Characterizing the performance of baseball bats, Performance versus moment of inertia of sporting implements. Ball Hysteresis.- 10. Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr Creative Commons. This is the location of the bat that is generally regarded as the best spot for hitting the ball. Edd Roush holds the distinction of being the heaviest Major League Baseball player in terms of weight. It is very surprising that no one seems to have worked this out before. In principle you could also work out the acceleration due to gravity in Sydney, but not very accurately. endobj Where on the bat is the ball struck with the greatest speed? Near the end of the swing, the bat swings so fast that the batter can no longer keep his wrists locked, and the centripital force on the bat is about equal to the weight of the batter. endobj As the ball leaves the bat, the potential energy is converted into kinetic energy. If you are between the ages of three and nine and weigh less than 60 pounds, you should buy a 28-inch bat if your height is between three and four inches. /P 17 0 R 6 0 obj /R [316 73 572 791 ] One of the definitions of the "sweet spot" is the location of the node at the barrel end of the bat. The length and weight of a bat is tailored to the size, strength and hitting style of the individual player. /P 20 0 R It is not quantum physics or relativity, but a very interesting problem involving the mechanics of colliding objects. /P 26 0 R 2. George has always been passionate about physics and its ability to explain the fundamental workings of the universe. Because of the weight distribution, drop 8 bats tend to have a higher weight per foot than standard 8 bats. 29 0 obj This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Maple and ash are the most commonly used materials in major league baseball. Each type of wood has its own unique characteristics, making it important for players to consider the type of wood when selecting a bat. Elastic Properties of Balls.- 9. If this is the case, the bats likely too heavy if it cant keep its grip in place for at least 20 seconds. Its center of mass is 52.6 cm from the knob end. The first is where the bat feels best in your hands when you hit. The collision of a bat and a ball can be understood by treating the bat as a heavy ball whose mass depends on the impact point. Movies showing the collision of a baseball with a cricket ball and the collision of two billiard balls are shown in the page on collisions. The shoulders reach maximum speed first. The result was not a super slow softball spin, neither was it particularly fast. However, it will also feel heavier when swung. Is it possible to hit heavier bats harder? /P 17 0 R The first is where the bat feels best in your hands when you hit. When one object collides with another, some of the energy from the impact goes into vibrational waves that travel through each object. Alan Nathan has the world's best Physics of Baseball site at, Another very interesting Physics of Baseball and Softball site is maintained by Dan Russell at, Lloyd Smith at Washington State University has an excellent site on the physics and engineering of softball, at. When you use a heavier bat, the faster you hit the ball, the longer it will travel. The second definition is where the ball comes off the bat fastest. If you are interested in diving deeper into the subject of the science of baseball bats, check out some of these great articles and research: You dont have to be scientist to get a sense of how baseball bats perform. The bat is 84 cm long, and has a mass of 849 gram. The sweet spot of a bat exists because bat vibrations are not excited significantly at that spot. /P 23 0 R /V 7 0 R Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site! << When a batter hits a ball, the bat will rebound from the force of the collision. Swinging a Bat.- 7. >> Near the end of the swing, the force is roughly at right angles to motion of the handle since the centripetal force is very large. A paper on this subject can be downloaded here. Strike at 12 cm Strike at 17 cm Strike at 24 cm Strike at 31 cm. /V 5 0 R A pitch produces a turbulent wake of air behind the ball. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. I simply wanted to know whether a hand launched ball spins at around 100 rpm or whether it could be as high as 1000 rpm. /R [52 74 308 585 ] The ball rotated more than 1/4 but less than 1/2 of one revolution from one frame to the next, each frame being 0.04 sec apart. Initially, the force on the handle is in the opposite direction to the motion of the handle. This is why it is important that baseball bats are made out of a hard material that can maximize the energy transfer while also reducing the risk of injury to the player. The majority of hitters take a stride when hitting, which helps the timing of their swing. 4) Good quality bat grip Investing in a good quality bat grip will help improve your grip and increase your odds of hitting the ball in the sweet spot which can reduce the chances of breakage. Hitting on the sweet spot ensures you dont lose any more energy to making vibrations inside the bat. q varies from about zero near the tip of the bat to about 0.2 or 0.3 further along the barrel, and needs to be measured for any given bat since it is usually too hard to calculate. By understanding the physics of baseball bats, players can maximize their performance on the field. Rather, most coaches and others think in terms of wrist torque, which is probably much too small to provide the necessary large couple near the end of the swing The couple must come mainly from the two arms, not the wrists. White ash, sugar maple, true hickory, yellow birch, red oak, and Japanese ash are the six wood types that can be used in bats in Major League Baseball. You can actually hear where the sweet spot is just by tapping a bat yourself. 5P8$ BaPR+"dUkbQ]YH`P. In order to determine how each of the sweet spots influences the "feel" of the bat, measurements were made of the impact forces transmitted to the hands. Baseball players were known to carve or whisk their own bats from various hardwoods during the early days of amateur baseball. Despite the likelihood of your bat breaking, there are things you can do to prevent it. In theory, the ball bounces best for an impact at the center of mass of the bat, provided we can ignore bat vibrations. endobj A lot has been learned over the years but more experiments need to be done to better understand how the ball bounces and how much spin it acquires when it bounces. 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