The Unnoticeable Wonders of Baseball
By Alicia Valdez
Have you ever noticed all the science behind throwing a ball? Even if you
bounce a ball, there’s science within it. Whether you throw a fast ball, curve ball,
screwball, or a slider, there is always a force, momentum, motion, or energy. The
materials in a ball also help with the speed and force. Baseball is not only what
you think you see; the science and physics behind it is extraordinary. Things like
air resistance and how it helps changes the movement of the ball in pitching and
in hitting. Physics is in everything and can be used to improve the game of
baseball.
Improvements in equipment
There are many things that have improved over the years in baseball. It
could have been the players, the teams, or the equipment. Yes! The equipment,
such as the baseball ball, the cleats, the bats, and the clothing has been
improved most. From past to present here's some changes in equipment you
probably haven't noticed, and probably wouldn’t have till you read this...
In the past baseball bats came in all different sorts of shapes and sizes. In
the 1850’s the bats came in different varieties, including long, short, heavy, or
flat. They were soon to learn that the rounder bats worked best. There was also a
1859 rule that stated the teams not being able to use a bat bigger than 2.5 inches
wide, although the length could be any. The most famous bat was the Louisville
slugger, which was made out of a white piece of ash and wood. Since these bats
were made out of a wood, it was heavier and it took a lot of upper arm strength
and force by the players in order to hit the ball. The aluminum bats were first
made in 1924. The first one was the metal bat. The metal bat was too dangerous
to have in major leagues, because the force of someone hitting the ball would
cause damage of someone getting hit by the bat. The next bat made was the
Titanium bats. It was the strangest lightest aluminum bat, and is still used in the
present. These aluminum bats have a hollow core, therefore when the ball
bounces off the bat, it creates sound waves and vibrations throughout the bat
and by the louder the sound and vibration is, the harder you hit the ball, but the
vibration causes distraction to some players, so the materials always improve.
The batting helmets have changed a lot over the years. The first batting
helmets were not considered as safe as the new ones in the present because
there was less padding on the inside. This caused there to be a rule that the
players must have an absorbent layer in their helmet covered by a composite
strip to absorb sweat, and other stuff. The reason for this is because in the past
the helmets were only able to stand balls hit at 60mph, while the newer ones are
able to live through a fastball at about 100mph from 24 inches away. The new
helmets can stand a lot of force and pressure being thrown at it.
The cleats design has improved by keeping the cleat lighter to run in,
safer, and faster movements. Some cleats have breathable mesh in order to let
the air and odor out of the cleats when sweating and to keep your feet dry and
will help you stay stable. These newer cleats helped the players run better and
not trip over their own feet.
The baseball ball in the early days of 1848, the ball had a lot of bounce. In
the inside they had a rubber core and were smaller than the ones nowadays. The
now a day’s baseball ball could be from 9 inches to 9 ¼ inches by circumference.
These baseballs are made from yarn and a cork coated rubber in the middle.
This was an improvement to baseballs because the less bounce the better for the
catchers so the ball won’t bounce out of their hands.
When you drop a baseball the gravity pulls in to the floor but when it gains the
kinetic energy, it bounces back up. What’s happening when it’s bouncing is when
the ball hit’s the ground and pauses, the energy has nowhere to go except into
the ball, and the force of that energy will deform the ball as the molecules stretch
apart and are put together in other parts of the ball which creates this kinetic
energy causing the ball to rub against the floor and bounce upwards. The
material is causing the bounce, so any ball can bounce higher than others
depending on their materials.
Curveball
There are several ways to throw a ball, some ways better than others. The
main ways to throw a ball are fastball, curveball, knuckle balls, slider, and
screwball. Curve ball is the most used one; it confuses the batters into thinking
the ball is going a different way, and normally makes them strike out unless they
are professional baseball players, because the ball always curves in the direction
of the side of the ball that’s facing the pitcher. The curve ball is not only the most
famous throw, but it has the most science to it. Curve balls and knuckle balls
both include lift forces. When you throw a curve ball, it makes the ball spin fast
around the perpendicular axis to its motions direction. This throw lifts two forces
to the right; The Magnus force and the wake deflection force. Magnus force
happens when the spinning ball circulars air around it. The more spin there is,
then the more curve there is. Wake deflection force is when the really fast spin
deforms the wake. When you throw a curve ball the Magnus force and wake
deflected force try to stop the ball from going into the air. But in science terms,
the ball deflects the air stream in one direction, but the airstream pushes it in the
opposite direction. Both of those forces deflect the ball in the same direction. All
this causes the curveball.
Calculation Aarrowdynamics:
Meanings:
Fd=Force drag A=cross-sectional area of the ball v^2=velocity of ball Cd=drag coefficient
Fd=? P=1.29grams A=6.67in^2 v^2=90mph Cd=0.3
Equation:
Fd= p * A * v^2 * Cd / 2
Solve:
Fd= 1.29 * 6.67 * 90^2 * 0.3 / 2
Fd= 20908.449 / 2
Fd= 10454.2245
Projectile Motion
A projectile is any object mainly a ball that is under force of gravity. Motion of
projectile is the definition of projectile motion. Air resistance depends on
humidity, temperature, and altitude, if you want the ball to go farther and if you
want more of a chance to have a homerun you would want high humidity, high
altitude, and high temperature. When you throw a ball, it creates projectile
motion. In order to hit a home run, a baseball player would have to hit the ball as
close to a 45 degree angle. If a ball were to be hit at a velocity(v) of 18m/s, and if
the force were 45 degrees the ball would travel 34.2m, this would cause a
homerun.
Calculation:
Meanings: Vo=initial velocity Vt=Terminal Velocity Cos=Cosign G=Gravity(m/s^2)
Equation: Vt=mg/Cd
Equation: X=Vo Vt cosθ/g
Vt=1.4602(9.8)/0.5
X=30.6(2.9204)cos(45degrees)/9.8
Vt=1.4602/0.5
X=89.36424(0.760405965)/9.8
Vt=2.9204
X=67.95310115/9.8
X=6.933989919
X=6.9
This Picture is
the projectile
motion. It shows
the different
places a ball
lands when
thrown, weather
there is air
resistance or not.
The speed the
ball is thrown
changes the
distance. The
speed and angle
change the
places the ball
reaches.