1. The Physics Behind Hitting a Baseball
By Winston Chow

2. The Two Parts of a Swing
When you are up at bat, there are two parts of your swing:
1. Is the generation and start of the swing. This is before you make contact with the ball.
2. Is the point of contact with the ball and bat.

3. Before Initial Contact
When a person is up at bat, they want to generate the most amount of force so they can hit the ball as far as they can.
This action can almost be compared to pulling on a lever.
The swing is on a rotational axis that is split down the middle of the player.

4. Generation of Torque
While on this axis, torque is generated from the motion of the arms and the rotation of the hips.
Torque- is the force acting on an object causing it to rotate
This force is dependent on the distance from the contact point of the bat to the axis of rotation.
The torque generated from a player can be calculated by measuring the distance from the tip of the bat to your center mass.
You then multiply the acceleration of your swing with the mass of the bat.

5. When the Ball hits the Bat
-Once the bat and ball make contact, the bat will oscillate. -Oscillation is when an object moves back and forth over a certain amount of time -A good example of oscillation is when you press down a spring: -Once released, the spring will move from side to side -In slow motion, it seems as if the bat is rubber

6. Oscillation period of the Bat
A bat will vibrate more violent or gently, depending on the oscillation
This is due to Resonant Frequency
Resonant Frequency is the frequency applied through external force which will generate the maximum amplitude
Amplitude is the measurement of energy in a wave

7. During and Slightly after the point of Contact
When the ball and bat contact, two waves are generated:
The initial wave is generated when the bat and ball first make contact
The secondary wave is generated as the ball leaves the bat due to 3rd law pairs
The points at which these two wave meet are either called nodes

8. Node Point At nodes, the two waves that were generated cancel out
When these waves cancel each other out, oscillation is stopped or depressed
The maximum output (or farthest the ball will be hit) is generated when there are no oscillations
The node on the baseball bat is known as the sweet spot

9. How does this relate to me?
Baseball is my favorite sport
I play all year round
It’s a passion of mine that I’d like to continue in the future

10. Questions During the Project
Do different types of wood effect the amplitudes or oscillations?
What causes a bat to sting or possibly break then?

11. Can different wood effect amplitude and oscillation?
Yes, it can
For example, when hitting with a hickory bat, a higher frequency and smaller amplitude will be generated. This helps decrease oscillation
With less oscillation, bats will sting and break less
Not only will different types of wood effect the oscillation, but it can also effect the torque

12. Wood Type on Torque
There are some types of wood that are heavier and denser than others
When it comes to choosing bats, power hitters have a tendency to pick long, maple bats
With a greater mass and distance from the rotational axis, these power hitters can generate more torque and force on the ball
Fast and smaller players tend to use ash. Since it is lighter, players can hit it to the spots they want, such as gaps.

13. What causes a bat to sting and break?
When you don’t hit the ball right on the node of the bat, it will sting.
When you hit the ball at the tip of the bat, or on close to the handle, the bat will break.
These spots are called Antinodes.
Antinodes are the places where the waves are the farthest apart. When the ball makes contact with an antinode, the bat will oscillate to an extent where energy is wasted through it.
These oscillations will sting your hand, and sometime be severe enough to break a bat

14. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFlEIybC 7rU
Youtube Video
7rU

15. Work Cited
"Physics of Baseball." ThinkQuest. Oracle Foundation, n.d. Web. 27 Feb
"Quantum Moxie." Quantum Moxie. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Feb
"Time Warp - Baseball Bat." YouTube. YouTube, 17 Mar Web. 27 Feb