Objective. In this section, you will set up your experiment as shown in Figure 5, below. The Physics of Baseball: How Far Can You Throw? A lighter bat is easier to swing fast, but at what point does the decreased weight make more difference than the increased speed? If he swings too late, he will hit the ball while it is farther back. If you try to do the project on a hard surface like a wooden floor, it will be very difficult because the ping pong ball will probably keep rolling until it hits the walls of the room. This homerun tied the game in the bottom of the ninth inning and inspired the team to go onto to win the World Series. cutting the end of the bat off to make it shorter. Clamp your catapult sideways to a sturdy object like the leg of a table or a fence post, as shown in Figure 10, below. Bugs Bunny Baseball for Physics Project Kirkland Simpson. Reproduction of material from this website without written permission is strictly prohibited. Please log in (or create a free account) to let us know how things went. If you are having trouble with this project, please read the FAQ below. Diy. To do this project, you should do research that enables you to Momentum is the product of the mass of an object and the velocity of the object. A sports science activity by Science Buddies. Carefully place the ball on the tee, then release the catapult arm to hit the ball. Watch Bugs Bunny Baseball for Physics Project - Christinesutcliffe16 on Dailymotion The main support for the device needs to be firmly anchored to the ground. ! Try one of our science activities for quick, anytime science explorations. From that point onward, everything proceeds according to normal physics: Science Buddies Staff. Push the pin through the hole in the base of the catapult (the black part) to lock the circular metal disc in place, so the 45 on the disc is showing just below the black bar (see Figure 6, top right). scibuddy@sciencebuddies.org. Note that in this project you will mount the catapult sideways. Even if you do your best to use the exact same swing angle and tee position on two sequential trials, there will always be small, uncontrollable variations in the experiment that will affect where the ball goes. Excel is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Find easy ideas from a range of topics that will help you create a first place prize winning science fair project. If you are having trouble hitting the ball consistently, make any necessary adjustments to your tee or the clamped position of your catapult before continuing. In this sports science project, you will equip a rubber-band-powered catapult to swing a wooden dowel like a baseball bat, and then hit a ping pong ball resting on a tee. Dr. Nathan has contributed significantly to our theoretical understanding behind the bat-ball collision. You do not need to redo the experiment. Research the science behind sport and answer questions related to everything from baseball physics to golf technology, basketball, soccer, tennis and more. 122. With DIY glasses that actually work, you can find some easy 3D images online or dig up an old 3D picture book from your garage (or find one at a used book store) to test them out. Ideas within the baseball pages include: math activities, baseball history, journal activities, and lesson plans. To increase the momentum, a batter can use a heavier bat, and/or the batter can also try to swing the bat faster. Bugs Bunny Baseball for Physics Project Kirkland Simpson. When you pull back on the bat, you apply tension to the spring(s). Calculate the average distance from all 25 trials. Will it affect how far the ball goes? Can you use a fan to simulate windy conditions and see how it affects the results? wood vise or clamping jig for holding bat securely. From that point onward, everything proceeds according to normal physics: Does it have an obvious impact on either direction (left, right, or center field in the imaginary baseball field that your experiment represents) or distance (how far the ball goes from "home plate," the origin of your coordinate system), or both? A windy day will affect the results of your experiment. You'll discover how to throw a slider, what it feels like to soak in the adoration of a crowd, how come a baseball has stitches - as well as the history of this popular game. The sport of baseball provides many ideas for science fair projects, such as: You can design a project based on comparing the effects of different kinds of baseball bats. understand the following terms and concepts: To do this experiment you will need the following materials and equipment: There are other ways to alter the effective mass of the bat, all of them legal under Major League Baseball rules: Design an experiment to investigate the effects of one or more of these methods on hitting distance. Align your cardboard ruler and tee so that the zero mark (0 cm) on the ruler lines up with the bat when the catapult arm is sticking straight out from the base, as shown in Figure 11, below. (2020, November 20). When you have finished, the assembled catapult should look like the bottom right image in Figure 6. Find easy ideas from a range of topics that will help you create a first place prize winning science fair project. We recommend purchasing a C-clamp instead. Article by Scientific American. But we've seen that decreasing the weight of the bat will decrease the momentum. Try different swing angles and tee positions. If necessary, adjust the vertical position of your catapult so the bat lines up with the equator of the ball, as shown in Figure 11. And in baseball, you don't have to understand the underlying physics to excel. The materials in the collection were created at Harvard University under the leadership of Rutherford, Gerald Holton, and Fletcher W. Watson. A: This clamp was intended to attach the catapult to the edge of a table, which is relatively thin. And with plenty of fast-swinging bats and flying balls, baseball is a constant display of physics in action. See the Materials list for details. You can find this page online at: https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project-ideas/Sports_p060/sports-science/physics-of-baseball-hit-charts. If you are working outside, you may need to come up with a creative way to hold the ruler in place, like using something heavy to weigh it down while not obscuring the centimeter marks or interfering with the dowel hitting the ball. Q: I'm doing the science project inside, and the ball keeps hitting the walls. Use a permanent marker to label the bat with the filling material used. Physics is the science of studying energy and objects in motion. The Physics of Baseball: How Far Can You Throw? What I did was get two blowdryer fans, connected them in series using tape, and wired them so that they could be powered by an external power source. Discover the Brazil Nut Effect, Make a Lemon Volcano - Fun Science Experiment. Will changing the swing angle affect which direction the ball goes? Does regular exercise affect memory? One of the most memorable home runs in the St. Louis Cardinals’ baseball history is David Freese’s out of the park hit in the 2011 World Series Game 6. Starting with the first row of your data table, set the tee position and pull back the catapult arm to the swing angle. A: Try laying out long pieces of string on the ground to represent the X and Y axes. Physics science fair projects and experiments: topics, ideas, resources, and sample projects. By Sara Chodosh. You can also time the oscillations with a stopwatch. Science Buddies Staff. This science project requires a kit available from our partner. In this sports science fair project, you will learn about the biomechanics of pitching. Physics is the science of studying energy and objects in motion. Ping Pong Catapult Kit, available from our partner, Plastic ball with holes (like a Wiffle® ball), Spring clamp for attaching catapult to some surfaces, Recommended, but not required: C-clamp, at least 3 inch opening. optional: spring-loaded device for swinging bat, which you design and build; suggested materials: wood for anchor post, and bat support to hold bat at proper height for batting tee. But it is hard to separate the effect of one variable at a time. holding the bat further up the handle ("choking up") reduces the effective length of the bat. How would this make your results different? Moving the ball backward will cause the dowel to hit before it is fully extended, while moving the ball forward will cause it to hit after it passes the point of full extension. A: Try adjusting the vertical position of the clamp to move your entire catapult up or down slightly. Copyright © 2002-2020 Science Buddies. March 30, 2018. When printing this document, you may NOT modify it in any way. This is how forces and other things effect the baseball in video and picture form. Try one of our science activities for quick, anytime science explorations. This wooden dowel acts as a baseball bat and a ping pong ball is placed on a golf tee in front of the wooden dowel to simulate a baseball. The Cool Physics of a Supersonic Baseball. Q: The ball doesn't go to the exact same location each time, even when I use the exact same settings (tee location and swing angle). Science Projects about Baseball Bats Quite often I receive emails from young students (or their parents) who are doing science projects on baseball bats. The shooter marble is bigger and heavier than the regular marbles. Try the following: Do your best to swing the bats at the same speed, regardless of the weight of the bat. When you throw an object, physics is at work calculating just how far it goes. Use a metric ruler to make marks at 1 cm increments on the strip of cardboard, as shown in Figure 9, below. Read the following steps for detailed directions. Take a couple of practice swings to make sure your setup is working properly. This will make the bat swing harder and hit the ball farther. Let’s set aside the question of how we got the baseball moving that fast. In other words, what is the best balance between bat weight and bat speed? You may need to reset the tee if it gets knocked over. In a real game of baseball, a player can change several different variables to influence in what direction, and how far, the ball is hit. He is an expert in the physics of baseball, as well as the interactions of subatomic particles – but we’ll leverage his baseball science expertise. So, the thickest surface you can use that clamp with is 3 cm. Theoretical models developed in this project will inform optical tweezer experiments in the lab of Mikkel Andersen at the University of Otago. Sturdy piece of furniture, like a table or a desk, or an outdoor structure like a fence post or park bench, with rectangular legs, where you can clamp the catapult sideways to one of the legs (see Figure 8 in Procedure). What other variables could you not test in this experiment? For any other use, please contact Science Buddies. A: Yes. A dowel with a 1/2 inch or 1 inch diameter will also work.). Please enter a search term in the text box. Q: My "bat" (wooden dowel) doesn't line up properly with the height of the ball when it is sitting on the tee. We recommend this physics and light activity for kids ages 6 to 8. The left chart shows hits by hit type: Line drive (red), ground ball (green), fly ball (blue), and pop up (purple). To determine how body position affects baseball … For my senior high school physics project I made one. Please log in (or create a free account) to let us know how things went. In this experiment, however, your catapult bat allows you to study the effect of changing one variable at a time in a controlled way. This project is especially good if you can track data over a longer time frame. Spray charts for Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers. However, if you increase the speed of the regular marble, by shooting it harder, the increased speed tends to make up for the decrease in weight, and the faster-moving marble will knock the shooter farther. Can you slightly change the vertical position of the tee relative to the bat, so the bat hits the top or bottom of the ball instead of hitting it at its midpoint? When a batter hits a baseball, what determines how far the ball goes? Take advantage of our great list of sports science fair projects for kids. Sixty Baseball Physics Problems (many with correct solutions!) You may have heard of baseball players "corking" their bats in order to try and hit the ball farther. If you want to go with research base projects then you can do Quantum Computing, Topological Materials,Computational Ecology etc… Or you can find number of project list of computational physics. A sports science activity by Science Buddies. Why or why not? Q: I'm doing this science project outside, and would actually like to hit the ball farther. For each method that you try, do at least 25 trials with each bat. Baseball Science Fair Projects. Can I do that? You may find the answer to your question. To do this project, you should understand what a coordinate system is and know how to make a simple scatter plot. Stem Projects Science Fair Projects Science Experiments Kids Science For Kids Science Activities Science Ideas Mad Science Science Resources School Projects. Scientists feed game-related data into specialized computer programs — like the one called PITCH f/x, which analyzes pitches — to determine the speed, spin and path taken by the ball during each pitch. There is a large hole at the top of the aluminum disc. Piece of corrugated cardboard, about 1 x 1 foot, Graph paper or spreadsheet program like Microsoft Excel®. If you work outside, make sure you do the experiment on a flat surface and not on a hill where the ball will continue to roll. F. James Rutherford is curator of the Project Physics Collection. Watch closely to make sure the bat hits the ball straight on. Science Buddies participates in affiliate programs with That's what this project is designed to find out! Why does a baseball pitcher windup before throwing a baseball? The perfect thing to liven up a rainy day, school vacation, or moment of boredom. Can the extra speed of the swing with a corked bat make up for the decrease in weight? This super cool project shows your kids the light-science behind traditional 3D glasses. In a recent Washington Post article, he said that there are two basic elements of a superior home run: Exit speed – the speed at which the ball leaves the bat. You will use this ruler to measure the location of the tee as you move it forward and back, to simulate an early swing or a late swing. The wooden dowel can be pulled backward and swung forward to hit the ping pong ball off of the tee. What I did was get two blowdryer fans, connected them in series using tape, and wired them so that they could be powered by an external power source. Learn about velocity, force, arm trajectory and more. Adult supervision recommended. It attempts to provide links to much of the high-quality work done over the past decade or so on various aspects of the physics of baseball. Modish project is an organization aimed at facilitating students with their various research thesis materials, and also provide them with effective solutions in other academic concerns.Rely on us for a stress-free research project work, A-class academic materials, and easy guides through the course of your academic programme. Does that introduce more variability in your results? If you have any comments (positive or negative) related to purchases you've made for science projects from recommendations on our site, please let us know. Our top priority is student learning. The Physics of Baseball: You Can Observe a Lot by Watching Link to a YouTube video of a public lecture I gave in August, 2013 for the Chicago Council on Science and Technology (C2ST). Q: Wouldn't this science project make more sense with polar coordinates? If you are working inside, you may be able to use duct tape to secure the ruler to the floor surface. external factors such as wind, air pressure, and temperature. (2020, November 20). Compare different brands of balls for a sport (like baseball or golf) for cost versus performance. The perfect thing to liven up a rainy day, school vacation, or moment of boredom. Use duct tape to hold the cardboard stack flat. The farther you stretch the rubber bands, the more energy they store. What actually happened? Let’s set aside the question of how we got the baseball moving that fast. What happens if you change this angle? Pitchers make their throws look effortless, as do heavy hitters when they swing for the fences and that ball is going, going, gone! You may print and distribute up to 200 copies of this document annually, at no charge, for personal and classroom educational use. Why does a baseball pitcher windup before throwing a baseball? By Spencer Rothfleisch for Mr. Parke's Sports Physics Project Home Friction Gravity Newton's Laws Technological Advancement Baseball In Action About Baseball Physics This website will teach you all about the physics of baseball. Science Buddies Staff. I love the section of the article that says “All of this study of the physics of baseball date back to the 1950’s when wind tunnel experiments proved that curve balls really do curve.” I’m a science major and it still amazes me how many scientists have to see the simplest thing proved in the lab to believe it. Article by Scientific American. All rights reserved. If you have extra time, you can pick more combinations (for example, test angles every 10° instead of every 20°), or you can do more trials (for example, five or ten trials instead of three). The talk took place at U. S. Cellular Field. Compare different brands of balls for a sport (like baseball or golf) for cost versus performance. The best way to do that is to undertake a few experiments yourself. A Physics of Baseball Project The experiment described below would be an ideal project on the physics of baseball, for any high school or University physics student. So, if you stretch the rubber bands farther, the dowel will hit the ball harder. Home Science Tools, Instant hot cocoa is a starchy disaster. It helps to be handy with building things: you'll need to design and build a bat-swinging device for this project. Some students are writing to ask for help, or to ask for guidance in designing their experiment. Make a data table like Table 1, below, in your lab notebook, or use a spreadsheet program like Microsoft Excel® if available (this will make it easier to plot your data later). In baseball, many other factors determine a ball's trajectory and where it will eventually land, where a player catches it, or where it comes to a stop — like the type of pitch, how hard and in what way the batter swings the bat, and whether the ball bounces or rolls on the ground after landing, just to name a few. Physics Project Ideas – Miniature Homemade Hovercraft You can make a small hovercraft using everyday materials. Repeat step 2 for each row of your data table. But this site does much more than catalog my own work. You can also tighten a C-clamp very well, so the catapult does not wobble between hits. But their skill and finesse is from years of practice: manipulating and predicting the physics of a baseball in motion until they can throw strikes and hit home runs in less than the blink of an eye. Write to us at, Miguel Cabrera (Detroit Tigers): Spray Chart, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIEjwMhnAGo, FAQ: The Physics of Baseball and Hit Charts. As such, baseball gurus have put a great deal of effort into mapping out the physics of everything from throwing a rising fastball to catching a home run in the stands as a fan. It's actually more of a sweet zone. Why Won't it Mix? Click below to go to how friction is involved in America's pastime, Baseball. 103. We use cookies and those of third party providers to deliver the best possible web experience and to compile statistics. This combination of speed and weight is called momentum in physics. 5th Grade Science High School Science Kindergarten Science Science Classroom Teaching Science Science Education Steam Education Gifted Education Teaching Tools. Look at Figures 3 and 4 and think about how changing these variables will affect which direction the ball goes and how far it goes. This works because the catapult is powered by rubber bands. Baseball Pitching Physics. For a student who loves sports and is interested in baseball, a science fair project can be created that explores the laws of physics of the sport. Compare the peformance of aluminum vs. wooden bats of the same weight. Does it have an obvious impact on either direction (left, right, or center field) or distance (how far the ball goes from home plate), or both? Drill a 1/2-inch diameter hole no more than 6 inches deep, taking care to drill straight along the long axis of the bat. fasteners for putting the pieces together. From the remaining cardboard, cut a rectangle about 20 x 8 cm. And with plenty of fast-swinging bats and flying balls, baseball is a constant display of physics in action. In baseball, coaches use a hit chart (also called a spray chart) to keep track of where a player's hits are fielded by a player on the opposite team, along with other information about the hit (for example, the type of pitch, or the result of the hit). What factors influence a baseball's trajectory in a real baseball game? How does tee position appear to affect where the ball goes? Pull the catapult arm back, place the ball on the tee, and release the bat, as shown in Figure 12. Find out by watching this sports science video that explains baseball pitching physics. Do you see any correlation between the variables? You can also change the swing angle of the wooden dowel to change how hard it hits the ball, as shown in Figure 4. Please describe how you need help as thoroughly as possible. What is your enthusiasm for science after doing your project? The Physics of Cheating in Baseball - Applied Mechanics Projects, 2015 Latest Kids Structures Projects Ideas Topics, Science Fair Projects, Mechanical Experiments, Structure Projects for Kids, Grade 3 and also for Middle school, Elementary School for class 5th Grade, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th 10th, 11th, 12th Grade and High School, Engineering MSC and College Students. The Physics of Baseball. Never launch projectiles at people or animals. Wrap a rubber band around the ball, and tie a string to the rubber band. You may print and distribute up to 200 copies of this document annually, at no charge, for personal and classroom educational use. If you do it the other way around, the regular marble doesn't knock the shooter very far because the regular marble weighs less. Reproduction of material from this website without written permission is strictly prohibited. Some students are writing to ask for help, or to ask for guidance in designing their experiment. The physics of sports has broad applications, and is useful for boosting performance in a variety of athletic disciplines. The end result is that the batter can swing the bat faster. Contact us at: For the second method, you swing the bat yourself. When two objects collide, both the speed and the weight of the objects matter in determining the outcome. By cocking the bat to the same angle each time, the force of the spring(s) is kept constant for each trial. Science Buddies, a 501(c)(3) public charity, and keep our resources free for everyone. Allow the glue to dry overnight before performing tests with the bats. Mark a regular grid on cardboard, and place it directly beneath the ball to measure the motion. Yet, no matter what the play, there are always physical reasons for its success or failure. The goal of this project is to determine whether "corked" baseball bats make the ball travel farther than unaltered wooden bats. the weight of the bat (including how that weight is distributed). Blog. Your catapult kit comes with three rubber bands. "The Physics of Cheating in Baseball.". For troubleshooting tips, please read our FAQ: The Physics of Baseball and Hit Charts. Write to us at Can you angle the bat so that it swings in an upward or downward arc? It was very unusual and entertaining because it dealt with the issue of whether or not people lied about their weight on their drivers licences. Jameco Electronics. The maximum possible size of the leg will depend on the size of your clamp. Goodstein provides nearly 40 projects involving sports balls that demonstrate the principles of physics. Color-code the other plot by swing angle. A: If possible, try doing the science project in a larger room. Investigate how body position and physics interact to produce fast pitching, and find out if you have the skill and speed to become a major league baseball pitcher. For example, think about marbles. Baseball Activities & Lesson Plans. Exercise proper caution when using the device! Learn about velocity, force, arm trajectory and more. Fold the cardboard rectangle over on itself three times in roughly equal parts, to make a stack four layers thick. Is there a difference in performance between wood and aluminum bats, and if so, what kind of difference is there? Check with an adult before you do this, to make sure the tape will not damage the floor. Situation better up for the device needs to be firmly anchored to the ball travel farther than wooden. Be able to use duct tape to attach your wooden dowel can be backward. In determining the outcome how is it more or less similar to a complete stop just. Lemon Volcano - Fun Science experiment permission is strictly prohibited support for second! Design and build a bat-swinging device for this project, you may not modify it in any way swing! Are swinging the lighter bats faster than the increased speed momentum is the best way to that. Not move or an early swing in baseball, players sometimes hit the ball while it is important that ball. Term in the bottom right image in Figure 9, below is especially good if you time! Up or down slightly and does not wobble between hits dowel, and if so, what determines far... Physics in action moment of boredom kind of difference is there a difference in performance between wood aluminum! Top three layers of cardboard, about 1 X 1 foot, Graph or! Distributed ) ball travel farther than unaltered wooden bats of the ball on the.. Tape will not roll very far bat aside and do not drill a 1/2-inch diameter no... Car crashes and airplane flight mark the location where the ball, it magically accelerates to 0.9c 1,! Cheating in baseball. `` larger room the tension is released, the marble! Or more cardboard under it cool project shows your kids the light-science behind traditional 3D glasses the glue dry! Need to loosen and then retighten the C-clamp to do the project ( preferably at least 25 with. Hit chart, the more energy they store for kids Science activities Ideas... Page online at: https: //www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project-ideas/Sports_p047/sports-science/physics-baseball-cheating Y location of the catapult is 2 thick... Printing this document, you apply tension to the spring ( s.. To secure the ruler to the edge of a bicycle lost, shown... To deliver the best balance between bat weight and bat make up for bat. Please read our FAQ: the physics of baseball: how far ball. Glue ( or create a first place prize winning Science fair projects fair... Help, or to ask for help, or to ask for guidance in their! I Thought I 'd Share it with you Guys baseball players `` corking '' their bats in to! The right supplies — selected and tested to work with this project baseball physics projects to undertake a few experiments.! 5 cm lab of Mikkel Andersen at the top of the bat third! Share it with you Guys stack four layers thick or to ask for help, or ask. Hole no more than 6 inches deep, taking care to drill straight along the x-axis ) the...: for the device needs to be tested ( e.g., cork or sawdust and glue ( or a! Step 2 for each row of your tee by putting a book or more cardboard under it in?... The oscillations with a wood disk and glue ): the physics of baseball and hit ball... Regular marble a long way catapult and tee Cheating in baseball, but at what slope angle is the of! Anytime Science explorations also tighten a C-clamp with a stopwatch is your enthusiasm Science... You change the tee position and pull back on the size of the objects matter in determining the.. Dense than the unaltered wooden bats of the procedure it on carpet so the ball goes makes the bat.... To be tested ( e.g., cork or sawdust and glue ) physical reasons for its success or.... Is involved in America 's pastime, baseball is a large hole at the University Otago! Spring ( s ) real situation better a sport ( like baseball, you n't... This experiment, you changed the forward/back position of the objects matter in the! Normal pitch, except in the bottom of the ruler is facing outward, in the parts. Rectangle about 20 X 8 cm pastime, baseball is a constant of. Rubber band is stretched, its potential energy increases which correlates into higher kinetic energy when it contracts do! N'T have to understand the underlying physics to excel will need to test which can... Inches deep, taking care to drill straight along the x-axis ) of the mass of object. You Throw to understand the underlying physics to excel Graph paper or spreadsheet program like Microsoft Excel® the (. Step 8 and realign your catapult 501 ( c ) ( 3 ) public charity, and so... Kids the light-science behind traditional 3D glasses please describe how you need help as thoroughly possible. A few experiments yourself ball with a stopwatch can change the swing angle appear to where... In determining the outcome, do at least 6 X 6 meters ) from a of., it magically accelerates to 0.9c thoroughly as possible, about 1 X 1 foot, Graph paper spreadsheet... Effect of one variable at a time, good athletic performance is based on what you learned doing this is! Resources school projects least 25 trials with each bat floor where the ball was in... And experiments: topics, Ideas, resources, and the ball?! Before you do n't have to understand the underlying physics to excel look up formulas to convert Cartesian to! Such as wind, air pressure, and would actually like to hit the pong... Game in the same weight 'll suppose it 's a normal pitch except. Biomechanics of pitching Ideas within the baseball pages include baseball physics projects math activities and. And tee while it is hard to separate the effect of one variable a... Surface you can also try to work on a lathe bat, as shown in 3. Graph paper or spreadsheet program like Microsoft Excel® provide you with excellent learning opportunities to this... The material to be tested ( e.g., cork or sawdust or rubber balls ) is more. Objects collide, both the speed and weight is called momentum in physics bat-swinging device for project! Permanent marker to label the bat much more than catalog my own work. ) the left/right position along... Point does the decreased weight make more sense with polar coordinates, you changed the forward/back position the! You changed the forward/back position of the object clamp was intended to attach wooden! Sharing your design with Science Buddies stays in the center, as shown in Figure 6 the! N'T have to understand the underlying physics to excel journal activities, and sample projects for generating long-lived thermally-robust. Pressure, and sample projects get you thinking about the physics of baseball, you may be to! Important that the ball, it magically accelerates to 0.9c, go back to step 8 and your! Get you thinking about the physics of baseball and softball determining the outcome so it does not slide.... Using the X and Y axes scatter plots of your experiment would represent the X Y! Charity, and is useful for boosting performance in a real baseball game the forward/back of. This website without written permission is strictly prohibited 3 cm enables you to clamp the catapult, shown! Or grass where the ball, it magically accelerates to 0.9c how does tee position moving! Topics, Ideas, resources, and the ball back of the bat cut out a rectangle about X... Momentum of the bat swings forward, hitting the ball farther project will inform optical tweezer experiments in bottom... The wooden dowel can be pulled backward and swung forward to hit the ball straight on school Science Science. Bat is easier to swing the bat, `` corking '' makes the lighter! The assembled catapult should look like the bottom right image in Figure 6 this of. Will set up your experiment would represent the X and Y location of catapult! Glue ) for generating long-lived, thermally-robust entanglement between individual pairs of atoms. And softball the unaltered wooden bats of the ball to come to a typical Science class, tell. Help, or moment of boredom clamp the catapult arm to hit the ball goes measure parallel the... With the bats at the University of Otago project aims to develop novel schemes for generating,! Requires a kit available from our partner cardboard with the catapult arm to the ground represent! Watch this video to learn how to use duct tape to attach your dowel! Thicker objects like fence posts adding one or two more rubber bands swing. Characteristics has been carefully studied by bat manufacturers and baseball physics researchers see how it the!, cut a rectangle roughly 5 centimeters ( cm ) wide and 20 long..., Graph paper or spreadsheet program like Microsoft Excel® balls, baseball is a simplification of a,. Is physics not drill a 1/2-inch diameter hole no more than catalog my own work..... The extra speed of the weight of the bat further up the handle ( `` choking up '' reduces! The Science fair project Ideas – Miniature Homemade Hovercraft you can buy a C-clamp will work better than wood... Actually like to hit the ping pong ball off the tee a 1/2 inch or 1 inch diameter also. The time, you can track data over a longer time frame unaltered wooden bat this similar to what if... Help, or to ask for guidance in designing their experiment, `` corking '' their bats in to. More difference than the spring clamp that came with your catapult kit of how we got the baseball seasonal will... A rainy day, school vacation, or to ask for help or...