2006-07-18 07:57:30 · 9 answers · asked by el 2 in Sports ➔ Baseball
A ball's direction is partially determined by the effect of its spin. That's why they talk about the "snap" of a curveball. If a pitcher can get his curveball to spin faster, it will have more "bite", more force to change direction.
Because the a knuckleball doesn't spin, it's not subject to these forces. So it just floats around unpredicatably, affected much more by natural forces like wind and gravity than a spinning ball is.
2006-07-18 08:05:31 · answer #1 · answered by Farly the Seer 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
with a knuckle ball there is no inital momentum imparted on the ball. with sliders or curveballs, the ball is released in a manner that tends to favor one particular side of the ball than the other. it's more reliable when certain pressure, certain release will produce and desired result. with a knuckle ball, depending on how you throw it, nails are dug into the ball and released in a manner that allows the forces of gravity and wind do the work. this makes the ball flight and curve unpredictable since one cannot assume how much force or wind sheer is being applied to the ball. with a slider for instance, imparting a certain soin on the ball cuts through the air in a certain matter and as the laces on the ball come in contact with the air stream, it produces a sharp curve. knuckle balls generally don;t spin when thrown so with the decreasde velocity there is no predictable spin or flight from the ball. it's pretty much leaving the ball at the mercy of natures laws.
2006-07-18 08:05:37 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Knuckle ball has no spin and floats in the air depending on the air temperature and wind speed will have an effect on the travel. of the ball also altitude will effect the ball.
2006-07-18 08:40:13 · answer #3 · answered by John H 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The knuckle ball one of the hardest pitches to throw because it has no spin on it. This is the reason it is also so hard to control and also so hard to hit. Being thrown without spin makes it go up and down on the air current at it own pace. As the ball goes threw the air it seems to lift and fall makeing it hard to hit the strike zone and also hard to make contact with as you swing cause the shift in height is so quick.
2006-07-18 08:06:04 · answer #4 · answered by justduh 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
its similar to the curve on a soccer ball. the air on one side of the ball is going faster than on the other side which causes it to spin in one direction, thus making the ball knuckle or curve.
2006-07-18 08:01:15 · answer #5 · answered by wvu_fool_22 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no the first guy is wrong, he is thinking of a curveball. a kuckle ball doesnt spin, thus it doesnt have any stability and it wobbles from the air passing over the seams at different points on the ball.
2006-07-18 08:02:37 · answer #6 · answered by Alex F 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the non spinning of the seams causes resistence on one side of the ball while the other side air passes faster causing unpredictable rotation and movement
2006-07-18 08:03:52 · answer #7 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To paraphrase former catcher and now announcer Bob Uecker, "It's easy to catch a knuckleball. Just wait for it to stop rolling and pick it up."
2006-07-18 08:18:52 · answer #8 · answered by mattapan26 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the physics of it are it goes whhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooohwhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
2006-07-18 08:01:55 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋