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The Physics Of Baseball

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The above images are of my friend Conner getting ready to hit a yellow softball and just moments after he made contact with the ball. This photo was taken on Mulligan Field during my teams’ intramural softball game. In terms of physics, I am going to discuss impulse, linear momentum, and how Newton’s second law of motion relates them creating the impulse-momentum theory. I am also going to discuss how the combined effects of each of these concepts plays an important role in understanding what happens when you hit a softball or baseball and how they lead to solidly striking the ball. To fully understand all that goes into hitting a baseball well, we must define some of the terms and concepts. Impulse is the force of the object multiplied by the time interval in which the force acts. Impulse can be expressed by the equation J=FΔt where J is the impulse, F is the force, and Δt is the time interval. Since impulse, too, is a vector the …show more content…

There is the force of gravity and the force that is applied to the ball from the bat. After the ball is struck there is only one force acting on the ball, which is the force of gravity in combination with the mass of the ball. This can be seen in the figure …show more content…

Rene Descartes, a French philosopher and scientist came up with the theory and concept of momentum. Descartes idea of momentum came from his idea of trying to quantify “amount of motion.” That became the purpose of the equation we have today for linear momentum. We do, however, have Sir Isaac Newton to thank for the laws of motion and in this case the second law of motion, which relates impulse to momentum founded in 1966. Isaac Newton’s most famous claim to fame, however, is the theory of gravity that he established when an apple hit him on the head as he was sitting under an apple

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Physics was observed during a DHS girls lacrosse game by Newton’s Laws and in free-fall. Newton’s Laws consist of 3 different laws, the law of inertia, F=ma, and action-reaction forces. Free-fall was observed in the game when the lacrosse ball falls, and only gravity acts upon it. All in all, Newton’s Laws and free-fall was portrayed during the lacrosse game.

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Breakaway Bases Softball and Baseball are lesser on the scale of injuries during sports. This is because adjustments are always being made to the way the sports are played so they are safer for the players. Many of the injuries that do happen in these sports, however, are from sliding into bases wrong. When sliding, one throws themselves to the ground in an attempt to get under a tag. While doing this, many people have hurt their ankles, legs, or joints by jamming their feet into non-moving bases.

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This made for a lot of balls to be different weights and shapes which made them never quite the same as the next one in line which made for the ball to have different movements when being pitched and sometimes hit. Over the course of time the baseball has changed from a very loosely wound ball to very tight and compact ball which gives the ball more pop and flight. Baseball also changed the color of the baseball from a leather brown to the current white we have today which is due to the visibility and safety factor. Overall, the ball itself was probably the largest equipment factor prior to 1940 as many changes were brought in, such as the implementing of a cork center and the classic figure-8 style

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The flight of a baseball is a very interesting thing. There are so many factors that contribute to where the ball goes. In the Major Leagues, players are able to hit home runs at what seem like the most improbable of times (Studeman). Sometimes the ball is hit on a path that is somewhat close to horizontal to the ground. Other times the ball seems to be a complete pop fly that manages to sail over the fence.

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The application of force in the delivery of a pitch directly influences its speed and movement. By understanding how different forces act on the ball during its release, we gain insight into the relationship between force and speed (Newton's Laws of Motion, 2023). In application of the previously discussed forces of pitching lies the Magnus effect. The Magnus effect is responsible for the spinning of the ball in the air, but how? When the ball is traveling through the air from a pitch, one side is traveling in the direction of the air flow, while the other is traveling in opposition to it.

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These dimensions, combined with the type of ball each sport uses, results in batters having roughly the same amount of time to react to the ball (at the professional level). Softballs do not travel as fast as baseballs because of their size, but the shortened distance makes hitting a softball just as hard as hitting a

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The batter swings and hits a blazing fast line drive into the left center gap.. Both runners run as fast as the can and the batter's team wins as he hits the walk off double. But before the batter experienced this moment he will surely never forget he had to learn how to hit a baseball. Hitting a baseball is very complex and there are many elements to hitting. The hitter needs to keep his eye on the ball, he has to get power out of their arms and legs, and he has to have a

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It has been called the "national pastime" and has been the subject of countless books, movies, and songs. Baseball has also played a significant role in the civil rights movement. Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play in the major leagues, broke the color barrier in 1947 and paved the way for other players of color. Baseball has also undergone many changes over the years. In the early years of the sport, there were no gloves, and the ball was much softer than the modern baseball.

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The balls used in softball have a circumference that ranges from ten to twelve inches depending on the age group of the players. Baseballs have a standard circumference of nine inches. Additionally, baseballs are white with red stitching that holds the cover of the ball together. Softballs are more eye-catching more due to their bright yellow green color that is complemented with red stitching. The difference between the two balls is mostly due to the average traits of males and females.

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Human society has advanced with the development of things throughout history and it is under Ian Hodder’s theory that “humans depend on things that depend on other things and on humans” where even I am bound by this entanglement of both humans and things. The game of baseball is considered an American classic that has spread across the world where even I enjoy playing baseball and the baseball bat is an important component of the game as the bats has designed to allow for effective strikes on the baseball but even such an objects had to develop over time to reach its current position. Similar to what Stephen Sass describes as the shifts from stones to metal alloys being as a result in the shift of requirements of the materials, originally bats

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Nine-inch balls are used to play in the game of baseball, while softball players play with twelve-inch balls. The weight of the balls is also a difference. Baseballs are only a little over five ounces, whereas softballs are seven ounces. Even with both baseballs and softballs being sphere shaped, the main and most noticeable difference in the balls is its appearance. Baseballs are small, white balls with red seams, while softballs are bigger, neon yellow balls with red seams.

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Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (8 June 2007) states that in approximately 530 AD a philosopher named John Philoponus developed an early concept of momentum to comment on Aristotle’s Physics. Aristotle had claimed that everything that moves must be kept moving by something. For example, when you throw a ball it must be kept moving by the motion of the air. Philoponus however, believed that a force acted on an object when you threw it. Most Philosophers, although sceptical, accepted this theory of motion until the time of Galileo.

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