I hear game announcers say that frequently, but it seems to me the maximum velocity would be the instant it leaves the bat and it would be downhill from there. The bounce on the ground would drain energy, if anything. Where is my thinking wrong here?
2007-04-04 17:13:19 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
A baseball will not "pick up" speed on artificial turf, but it will bounce harder than on grass meaning it will lose less speed. It isn't that the ball is moving faster than what it was before but faster than what it would if it bounced off of a grass surface. The collision with the artificial turf is much more elastic than the collision with a grass surface, meaning less energy is lost to the surface.
This phenomena is similar to the "rising fastball" which doesn't rise but appears to because of the spin of the laces on the ball from the batter's perspective.
2007-04-04 17:26:30 · answer #1 · answered by msi_cord 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Basic physics definitions and concepts says the answer is yes if you limit the answer to what's important in a baseball situation, the ball moving forward. Start with a spinning ball dropped to the floor. The balls velocity in the x-plane is 0. When the ball contacts the ground the rotational energy and friction causes the ball to move along the x-plane. The change in position over time is by definition a change in velocity, since the initial velocity was 0 along the x-plane the change in velocity is by definition acceleration. A batted ball with low enough initial velocity can be aided by enough rotational spin when it initially contacts the ground in the x-plane. The amount of this effect might be greater on an artificial surface than natural grass due to higher friction.
2015-05-22 23:52:28 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, if the ball was hit downward with over or top spin when it comes in contact with the turf it would 'grab' onto the turf and essentially pick up speed. For example when a player hits the ball and it goes pretty much straight down and hits near home plate, but then jumps off in one direction and picks up speed, that is due to the spin of the ball.
2007-04-04 17:17:49 · answer #3 · answered by Bigfoot 1 · 2⤊ 1⤋
no no no...the announcers are saying this because that is what seams to be happening compared to a ball bouncing on a traditional grass field. A traditional grass field will deaden that ball's velocity more then artificial turf. Artificial turf doesn't speed up the ball at all...its not that they are not good announcers...they are just bad physicist.
2007-04-04 17:30:13 · answer #4 · answered by Ben i 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You spin a ball and allow it to fall on the ground you will see that it moves in the direction of the spin. If the ball was hit in such a way that the ball spins in forward direction (top spin) then the ball, on falling to the ground will lose its spin energy and will accelerate. More the friction between the ground and the ball, the more will it accelerate.
2007-04-04 19:01:50 · answer #5 · answered by dipakrashmi 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If the ball spins a lot in the right direction, it can transform some of that spinning energy into higher speed upon hitting the ground.
2007-04-04 17:18:04 · answer #6 · answered by catarthur 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
No. Urban myth. According to the laws of physics you are correct. The ball cannot pick up addtional speed or momentum without an outside force.
2007-04-04 17:24:55 · answer #7 · answered by loandude 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sure, if the ball is hit with top spin!
2007-04-04 17:24:07 · answer #8 · answered by gebobs 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i'm not a physics expert, but that sounds false. it may have something to do w/ the spin of the ball, if it does.
2007-04-04 17:18:12 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I doubt it. I think what they're really meaning is that the ball suddenly shifts momentum.
2007-04-04 17:21:36 · answer #10 · answered by haha 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋