This is our sweet spot and its different for all of us. Comment on the sweet spot of a baseball bat, by rod. It had pictures of my uncle fritz and uncle augie bickel. The physics is explained in a conversational style, and illustrated with experimental results obtained both in the laboratory and in the field. Professor julius sumner miller explains the science behind the sweet spot on a baseball bat. This book, written for the layman, is an expansion of a report written for a. Before we take a look at some of these definitions of the sweet spot, i should mention that bat manufacturers often advertise that aluminum bats have a wider sweet spot than do wood bats, or that a particular model of bat is more forgiving for hits away from the sweet spot than competetor models. Regulating the performance of baseball bats the physics of. The sweet spot associated with maximum batted ball speeds was located approximately the same. The vibration of the bat takes energy away from the.
Apr 09, 2008 doherty also explained the physics of the sweet spot on a baseball bat. As of today we have 78,789,783 ebooks for you to download for free. Characterizing the performance of baseball bats alan m. But ted williams wrote a book, called the science of hitting. Pdf physics of baseball bats an analysis researchgate. If you would like to suggest a video idea please leave it in the. Mar 30, 2018 the physics behind a baseball bats sweet spot. The sweet spots of a tennis racquet school of physics.
Robert adair, in his book the physics of baseball, estimates that a typical outfielder can run about 30 feet 9 meters per second, so getting to the ball would be relatively easy if he moved at top speed the instant the ball was hit. Every ball ive hit that i havent felt, i knew i hit. Unfortunately, theres some processing time that must take place. Faster pitchers, longer hitters, and enclosed stadiums also get a good, hard scientific look to determine their effects on the game. 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. Just what makes the sweet spot sweet is the focus of dr. Dan russells seminal research into the physics of composite baseball and softball bats. Williams understood that an important aspect of improving the odds of making good choices is the ability to distinguish between decisions within our circle of competence and those on the outside. Pdf an analysis of the physics of baseball bats is presented in this study. The characterization of the performance of baseball bats is presented from a physics point of view. The physics of baseball university of texas at austin. Cricket bat acceleration profile from sweetspot impacts.
Since little of the bats energy is lost to vibrations when this spot is hit, more can go to the ball. Physics of hitting a baseball real world physics problems. I was in one of our local book stores and saw the book on the sales rack and spied the back cover and saw my great grandfather henry bickel who was a wood turner at hillerich and bradsby. The sweet spot is a place where a combination of factors results in a maximum response for a given amount of effort. Generally speaking, if you want to improve your chances of getting a hit, then you want to maximize bbs, regardless of whether you are swinging for the fences or just trying to hit a well. Have been recommending this book to coaches and players. Dec 14, 2017 the physics of baseball lesson plan template and teaching resources. To find the sweet spot lets look more closely at the physics of the problem. Comment on the sweet spot of a baseball bat, by rod cross. If you dont see any interesting for you, use our search form on bottom v. Pdf the sweet spot of a baseball bat semantic scholar. Sikha and ivan padron department of physics, new jersey institute of technology, newark, nj 07102 received december 10, 2008, accepted march 21, 2009 abstract. If hit hard enough, the bat would break because this is a weak spot in the bat due to the stamping of the emblem. When you strike a bat against a ball it sends vibrations, much like the vibrations acting on airplanes or bridges, which travel in waves through the bat.
Although numerous scientists have examined the physics of. The physics behind a baseball bats sweet spot popular science. Physics of the sweet spot on a baseball bat 566 words 123. Modeling and simulation of baseball sweet spot request pdf.
Aug 19, 2016 it turns out theres a lot of physics that goes into the sweet spot on a baseball bat. From a players viewpoint, the sweet spot is the place on the bat barrel where the contact between bat and ball results in the best hit the ball leaves the bat with the greatest speed and the players hands feel very little vibration from the impact. The node sweet spot differs from the center of percussion sweet spot. Sep 28, 2019 the sweet spot that most of us think of is the place on the strings where the ball rebounds with the most power, or, technically, the post on the racquet with the maximum coefficient of restitution. The reference frame and free body diagram for the slender rod is shown in the figure below. The sweet spot is due to the fact that the cp and the vn coincide. Jan 01, 1990 this is a beautiful book for those of us in science or interested in the science of baseball. The aluminum bats also have a larger sweet spot, which is the area. The physics of the elusive sweet spot unraveled kettering. Adair, the physics of baseball harpercollins, new york, 1994, 2nd ed. The sweet spots of a tennis racquet rod cross physics department, university of sydney, sydney, nsw 2006, australia abstract measurements are presented on the behaviour of a handheld tennis racquet when it impacts with a tennis ball. Science has a sweet spot for baseball baseball a physics pastime scientists dont care if they ever get back by jeremy manier, tribune staff writerapril 3, 2000 the instant when a baseball springs off a wooden bat may rank as the defining experience of american sports a moment so laced with adrenaline and sentiment it would seem immune to any scientific analysis.
If the collision occurs at the sweet spot, no energy is used for bat vibrations or to do work on your hands. It is shown that an impulse is transmitted through the racquet. To do so, he showed what happens when you hit a bat in various places with a mallet. In tennis, squash, racquetball, baseball, cricket or golf a given swing will result in a more powerful hit if the ball strikes the racket, bat or club on the latters sweet spot. Whatand where is the sweet spot of a baseballsoftball bat. Physics of a baseball bat the sweet spot during the ballbat collision, energy is used to vibrate the bat and to exert forces do work on your hands. The sweet spot of a baseball bat, like that of a tennis racket, can be defined either in terms of a vibration node or a centre. The physics behind a baseball bats sweet spot popular.
The sweet spot of a baseball bat is a subjective baseball term, not a physics term, and is to be. May 01, 2009 the book sweet spot 125 years of baseball and the louisville slugger is great. It turns out theres a lot of physics that goes into the sweet spot on a baseball bat. This newly revised third edition considers recent developments in the science of sport such as the neurophysiology of batting, bat vibration, and the character of the sweet spot. The sweet spot of a baseball bat is often defined as a region approximately 57 in. Novel experimental approaches to indirectly quantify the performance of these bats have been. The book contained a very interesting picture, of himself atbat with the strike zone broke into 77 individual squares.
Robert adair, a professor at yale, informatively discusses nearly every aspect of the game through a scientific view. The sweet spot the physics of billiards is similar to the physics of hitting a baseball, in that there is also a sweet spot on a billiard ball where you can strike with the cue stick so that no friction force develops between the ball and the billiard table. Knowing the location of this sweet spot can give you an idea of where to hit the ball. The sweet spot of a baseball bat physics of baseball. In tennis, squash, racquetball, baseball, cricket or golf a given swing will.
The following material has been expanded considerably into a 324 page book physics of baseball and softball published by springer in march 2011. As a coach of youth baseball the physics of baseball helps to explain the science involved in so many aspects of the game. Bending modes and the sweet spot there are many definitions for what constitutes the sweet spot on a baseball bat. This book describes the dynamic collisions between baseballs, softballs, and bats, and the. The bat, how sweet it is how the physics of baseball works. Science has a sweet spot for baseball tribune staff writer. The problem is everyone wants to have a large circle. Comment on the sweet spot of a baseball bat, by rod cross am. Bartlett giamatti, then president of the national league, when i served as. This book describes the physics of baseball and softball, assuming that the reader has a background in both physics and mathematics at the high school level. In some sense we have come full circle to the problem stated at the beginning of this paper, that there is no single definition of the sweet spot for a hollow baseball or softball bat. However its basic irrelevance to the physics of the bat, the sweet spot has an importance in the language of the sport. An analysis of the physics of baseball bats is presented in this study.
Science of baseball baseball ball velocity after a collision battedball speed center of percussion coefficient of restitution collision at center of mass collision at sweet spot conservation of angular momentum conservation of linear momentum conservation of momentum equations for batball collisions models for swinging a bat optimal bat physics of baseball pitch speed sensitivity analysis. Finding and understanding the sweet spot on a wooden bat. To simplify the analysis of the physics of hitting a baseball, lets assume the bat can be represented by a uniform slender rod, pivoted at the end. Pdf the sweet spot on a cricket bat is defined as the point where the ball. The sweet spot of a baseball bat the physics of baseball. A baseball bat is shaped in such a way to have a sweet spot. No annoying ads, no download limits, enjoy it and dont forget to bookmark and share the love.
The physics of baseball mobi this newly revised third edition considers recent developments in the science of sport such as the neurophysiology of batting bat vibration and the character of the sweet spot. The science of baseball modeling batball collisions and the. Nathana department of physics, university of illinois, urbana, illinois 61801 received 12 july 2002. Russell, associate professor of applied physics at kettering university, originally used baseball and softball bats to engage students in his acoustics and vibration course. This book describes the physics of baseball and softball, assuming that the reader. The sweet spot of a baseball bat, like that of a tennis racket, can be defined either in terms of a vibration node or a centre of percussion. Players know theyve engaged the sweet spot when their hands feel no sting during the batball collision. Dec 07, 2015 on this page you can read or download red spot physics book for a level download pdf in pdf format.
If he waited for a pitch that was really in his sweet spot, he would get a hit 40% of the time. The sweet spot of a baseball bat rod cross physics department, university of sydney, sydney 2006, australia received 10 november 1997. I read the librarys copy, then went and get one for myself to use. The physics of baseball is a great book that should be read by any baseball fan who wants to understand the reasons behind why certain things in the game happen as they do. Or, as ryan zimmerman, the third baseman for the washington nationals, describes it. Baseball bat sweet spot pennsylvania state university. At the sweet spot, the maximum energy is available to go into the ball. Pdf cricket bat acceleration profile from sweetspot impacts. The material of a bat has no effect on its sweet spot, at least as its defined in physical terms. Batting performance of wood and metal baseball bats citeseerx. The sweet spot on a cricket bat is defined as the point where the ball receives maximum acceleration. The second sweet spot is where the least amount of shock is given to your hand and arm. Bahill also explains physical aspects of the ideal bat and the sweet spot.
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