baseball bat sweet spot physics
Section 5 gives some extension models. But its not that simple. If the ball didn't bounce at all then COR would be zero. where V = bat speed at impact point just before the impact. Sara Chodosh endobj Otherwise, the effective mass of the bat is less than its whole mass. That should sound like more of a thud, because youre not hearing the vibrations inside the wood. For small swings of a pendulum, the incoming and outgoing speed of the pendulum bob is proportional to its horizontal displacement, so the relevant ball speed ratios can be measured directly off the film with a ruler. /R [316 73 572 791 ] 22 0 obj The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". A high-end bat is designed for major league hitters in the 31-to-32-ounce (878 to 907 grams) range. If you have two bats, each with the same weight the bat that carries more weight in the end will perform better in terms of speed. So, for the sake of the integrity of the game and safety, bats have remained wooden. These vibrations travel in waves up and down the length of the object. This is not an easy rating to obtain. And though the term is almost always used exclusively to talk about baseball, the scientific principles that explain the sweet spot are actually true of tennis rackets, hockey sticks, and cricket bats as well. However, the COP shifts a long way toward the handle when a batter holds the handle, and plays only a minor role in the feel of the bat for an impact at the sweet spot. ] Neither the CoP nor the 'sweet spot' maximises the velocity which the ball gains from the impact. q is also called the apparent coefficient of restitution or ACOR. The sweet spot is typically located around the center of the bat, and its size varies depending on the type of bat being used. If the ball is also mounted as a pendulum. The physics behind this phenomenon involves the transfer of energy from the bat to the ball. So, using a heavier bat should result in faster hit balls, which means the hit ball will travel farther. << The shoulders reach maximum speed first. [/CalRGB We call the point where a baseball bat has its nodes the sweet spot. However. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. (The first person to really investigate sweet spots did so on tennis rackets.) When a pitch is played, a turbulent stream of air runs behind the ball. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. >> When the ball hits the sweet spot of the bat, the hand-held end of the bat should come to halt without receiving any impulse from the hand. /R [52 73 308 791 ] Softer and less dense varieties of maple that are more likely to break have been banned by Major League Baseball. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. The impact of a bat and a ball is still not properly understood. 2. The best wood for the Louisville Slugger bats to eat is northern white ash or maple, but wood from New York and parts of Pennsylvania can also be found. The horizontal speed at the contact point depends on the rate at which the ball spins, as well as on the horizontal speed of the centre of mass of the ball. The tube wall is thinnest, stretchiest, and tapered before being rolled, and then the handle is formed. If you hit a baseball somewhere other than the sweet spot, your hands will feel the vibrations. If there was no loss of energy during the bounce then COR would be 1.0. Wind farms have different impacts on the environment compared to conventional power plants, but similar concerns exist over both the noise produced by the turbine blades and the . Since F = m*dv/t, we can integrate the force waveform to measure ball speed vs time, then integrate v = dx/dt to measure the shift in the ball CM vs time. Mass has no effect on distance, but if you cant generate enough bat speed to overcome mass, you are doing yourself no favors and going backwards. /N 18 0 R This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. A pitch produces a turbulent wake of air behind the ball. When a ball player hits the ball with the bat, it produces an enormous amount of force on the bat in a split second the impact could mean up to 5,000 lbs of force. If the vibration frequency is less than about 1000 Hz, the end result is that ball comes off the bat at a lower speed than off a wood bat of the same weight and swing weight. A bat with an end loaded weight indicates that it weighs between 30 and 28 ounces. For a fastball, this wake gets pushed down, which then pushes the ball up .. Pitching Trajectories.- 5. Maple and ash are the most commonly used materials in major league baseball. Also,. The length, weight, and shape of the bat also affect its performance, as longer bats tend to have more power, and heavier bats tend to have more control. /I << When a batter hits a ball, the bat will rebound from the force of the collision. Baseball bats have a sweet spot which is the ideal location on the bat to hit the ball for maximum performance. /P 8 0 R Most people find that an impact between the nodes of the first two modes (node1 and node2 in the diagram) feels best since both modes are then excited only weakly. By maintaining the same swing speed with a heavier bat, players can increase bat speed and distance in the same manner. The result: a harder-hit ball. A baseball bat is typically between 30-34 inches in length and can weigh anywhere from 24-30 ounces. Each baseball bat has a sweet spot due to vibrational physics. When a very light bat is swing velocity at maximum, it has little power to transfer to the ball. Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site! Concentration. At some point you will feel almost no vibration when you tap. Thick walls are also needed to help prevent the walls dinting or cracking. We can then ask a similar question. Step up to the batters box and get warmed up for the physics of baseball bats with this, You can get into the real nitty gritty of the science of MOI including complex equations by clicking through to the complete, If you have two bats, each with the same weight the bat that carries more weight in the end will perform better in terms of speed. >> })(); Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, The Ultimate Guide to Baseball-Themed Online Slot Games, How To Hem Baseball Pants: A Step-by-Step Guide For Customizing Your Look. /R [52 74 308 585 ] Learn How To Personalize Your Hat With Vinyl Stickers! The bat is 84 cm long, and has a mass of 849 gram. The tubes were suspended by a length of string so that they could vibrate for a long time without damping. Near the end of the swing, the force is roughly at right angles to motion of the handle since the centripetal force is very large. /P 8 0 R Second, we give a simplified abstract form of bat which facilitates the description and modeling study. When selecting a bat for the major leagues, it is critical for players to select the best wood for their bat in order to maximize performance, durability, and longevity. The outgoing speed of the ball is just the sum of the two separate parts - the speed when the bat is at rest plus the speed when the ball is at rest. /R [52 73 308 791 ] Bamboo bats are the lightest of the three woods, making them great for players who need to swing fast. The true CoP should be measured from that point. The bounce was filmed at 300 fps and is played back at 30 fps in slow motion. /R [52 611 308 791 ] We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. The popularity of maple bats has increased dramatically since the introduction of the first major league-sanctioned model in 1997 due to their hardness, durability, and performance. The sweet spot is found on only one side of the bat. He is a proud supporter of his local team, the Toronto Blue Jays, and loves to explore the history and culture of the sport. Popular Science 71.6K subscribers Subscribe 162 19K views 4 years ago Where is the sweet spot on a baseball bat and how do you find it? Opines that close to where the point of percussion occurs is the "sweet spot." Explains that a net force hit on small mass will go farther than large mass. /ColorSpace [/Indexed /DeviceRGB 255 28 0 R] << } Rather, the physics depends more on the ratio of the bat and ball speeds, regardless of whether the actual speeds are around 1 mph or 100 mph. When a wake is pushed down, a fastball is pushed up. Newton's third law says that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. When he's not busy exploring the mysteries of the universe, George enjoys hiking and spending time with his family. If the bat is at rest then we can define the ball speed ratio, Bounce Factor = q = (ball exit speed) / (incident ball speed). J,g]g+e/h_!_gCtO=0f)$P%cIi8Zdfc5&3j_8$7g. Newtons second law, which deals with the value of time, is also important in baseball. Hitting the "sweet spot" is something that baseball players strive for. As a result, the fundamental and second vibration modes are both excited with about the same amplitude. When To Know Its Time To Replace Your Baseball Mitt, Customizing Your Baseball Bag: A Guide To Personalizing Your Equipment. But I would expect there to be a difference.. Initially, the force on the handle is in the opposite direction to the motion of the handle. In file A, the tangential COR was surprisingly high, about 0.3. Explains r. cross, "the sweet spot of a baseball bat," american journal of physics, 66, 772-779. endobj << The following material has been expanded considerably into a 324 page book Physics of baseball and softball published by Springer in March 2011. 1 inch in length is huge. A ball takes on a different shape as it is hit because the force of the bat pushing against it is multiplied by its mass. You can tell the bat is too heavy if the player appears to be chopping at the ball. 2) Choose the right turn model As discussed earlier, a wider handle will improve bat durability and reduce the likelihood of breakage. In order to determine how each of the sweet spots influences the "feel" of the bat, measurements were made of the impact forces transmitted to the hands. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Joe Jackson, a shoeless man, would prefer a custom-built bat known as Black Betsy. The wood bat is ultimately the best choice for any player who wishes to use a bat with the most natural power and the fastest speed. The physics of a baseball bat include the material of the bat, the length, weight, and shape of the bat, and the force of the swing. Aluminum bats are believed to have longer sweet spots than wooden bats. However, it will also feel heavier when swung. As discussed earlier, missing the sweet spot can cause vibrations in the bat. Understanding the sizes of bats is critical to making the best choice for your game and the best bat for you. /N 24 0 R The sweet spot of a bat exists because bat vibrations are not excited significantly at that spot. Only a small fraction of that huge force gets back to the handle to trouble the batter. endobj The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". /R [52 73 308 791 ] Try this: dangle the bat lightly by its knob, then use a baseball to strike the bat moving from top to bottom. Hey, were not all headed to the majors. To understand such collisions it is important to first understand the physics of a collision between one ball and another. All this means that if goal of the bats design is to provide more power and speed, it makes it more likely to to crack and shatter. So. The shapes of the force vs time curves are interesting since they tell us how the force on the ball varies with the amount of compression. Join PopSci+ to read sciences greatest stories. How much force does a baseball bat generate? Adair provides a few answers in his book The Physics of Baseball but he does not give the directions or the torques. >> Rather, most coaches and others think in terms of wrist torque, which is probably much too small to provide the necessary large couple near the end of the swing The couple must come mainly from the two arms, not the wrists. It would therefore not be surprising if a softball can be pitched at say 1000 rpm. The force of the swing is also a key factor in the performance of a baseball bat, as a hard swing can generate more power, while a softer swing can produce more control. A question that is equally interesting is how the swing speed of each body segment varies as the bat speed varies and as the bat swing weight varies. The answer depends on how fast each bat can be swung. The reversal of the spin in each bounce implies that there is some tangential elastic behaviour of the ball in a direction parallel to the block. The ball seems to spin faster when it is fresh and slower after it has been used, but more experiments are needed to determine whether this is in fact correct. The bat barrel initially bends backwards away from the ball while the handle bends outward and the vibration in the handle causes the players top hand to lose contact with the handle. As a result, the bounce is relatively weak at the tip and near the center of mass. A paper on this subject can be downloaded here. White ash, sugar maple, true hickory, yellow birch, red oak, and Japanese ash are the six wood types that can be used in bats in Major League Baseball. The hitch is, no one knows for sure how close the optimal spot for hitting is to the sweet spot that players know and love. It minimizes vibration of the bat and results in the maximum energy delivered to the ball, meaning it travels the farthest. Players tend to feel a zing in their hands; often called bat sting. A bat is similar to a racquet but there are some obvious differences. Not exactly like a drum, more like a bell or a chime, but the effect is similar. As a result of the transfer of kinetic energy from the bat to the ball, it has increased mass and kinetic energy. Despite the old timey aesthetic to wooden bats and sweet spots, scientists actually didnt know much of anything about the acoustics (yes, acoustics) of a bat until the 1980s and 90s. The COR for a collision between the bat and the ball is less than 0.59 when energy is lost to vibrations, but can be greater than 0.59 if the bat has a trampoline effect on the ball. Thats the sweet spot. The material of the bat can affect its performance, as lighter bats tend to be more responsive and have higher exit velocities. The mode shape of a baseball or softball bat is a simple flexing bending shape that has parts that move and parts that don't. Every bat has a point about seven inches in from the tip of the bat that doesn't move, that doesn't vibrate, called a node. /Length 996 Elastic behaviour in the vertical direction is described by a number called the coefficient of restitution (COR) which is about 0.5 for a baseball, depending on ball speed. You can find the sweet spot by gripping the bat handle with one hand in the same place as when youre swinging. If this is the case, the bats likely too heavy if it cant keep its grip in place for at least 20 seconds. A homerun hit right at the sweet spot would sound different than one hit off the target. How Many Square Inches Of Orange Does It Take To Cover A Baseball Cap? When we say sweet spot we mean about six different things, says Dan Russell, a professor of acoustics at Penn State. Hitting a ball incorrectly can make a wooden bat break due to the grain of the wood. Curve Balls Sweet Spot / Corked Bats / Questec-MLB Zone Evaluation. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Some hoop mode sounds are recorded in the following QuickTime Movies, using an aluminum bat and several aluminum tubes of various diameters and wall thickness. gF/(+GaKo$qneLWDrQ#;5\S(\$q'LM9bYJX9N;hHO_e;>`Y"/'J:I~> In this paper, we analyze the effect on the ball-bat model of corking the bat, and investigate the relationship between the sweet spot and different materials. The third law explains what happens to a bat when it strikes a ball. Energy is lost during the collision if the bat vibrates. << Edd Roush holds the distinction of being the heaviest Major League Baseball player in terms of weight. Reflexes. A ball that strikes the bat does not cause it to vibrate at this point. endobj The ball rotated more than 1/4 but less than 1/2 of one revolution from one frame to the next, each frame being 0.04 sec apart. Why? Near the end of the swing, the batter needs to exert a large negative couple on the bat, otherwise the bat will swing around too fast and strike the ball when it is aligned at the wrong angle. I havent listened to different recordings of hits to see if theres a noticeable difference, says Russell. Every sport is governed by the laws of science physics, aerodynamics, kinematics, etc. endobj Those two are usually close, but theyre not exactly the same. The various supposed sweet spots effectively add up to a sweet zone, about two inches wide, right on the meat of the bat. Some of the numbers change with actual speed, but the physics doesnt change. /Filter [/ASCII85Decode /LZWDecode ] Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. >> << The swing weight of the bat (that is, its moment of inertia) can be determined from the measured period of oscillation when swung as a pendulum. A careful analysis of baseball dynamics shows that this special spot is located at the point where an applied force would result in pure rotation of the bat about the handle grip. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. The end result can be a greater ball speed off the bat, in the same way that a tennis ball bounces a lot better off tennis strings than off a hard floor. If you are 91 to 120 pounds, it is recommended that you use a 29-inch bat. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. /V 10 0 R It is also known as the weight to length ratio. The pain of hitting away from the sweet spot motivates you to learn how to find itthat, or buy a composite bat with a vibration damper in the handle. Baseball Sweet Spot Science ScienceC 19.8K subscribers 19K views 6 years ago It turns out there's a lot of physics that goes into the sweet spot on a baseball bat! Players tend to feel a zing in their hands; often called bat sting. Why dies the bat vibrate inside or outside of the sweet spot? A rough estimate would be that the ball rotates 1/4 revolution while it is in the pitchers hand, and while the hand moves forward say the last 0.2 m. If the hand moves forward at 10 m/s = 22.4 mph then it moves 0.2 m in 0.02 sec, so the spin rate would be 12.5 rev/s or 750 rpm. We also offer a variety of resources for baseball players, including tips on hitting, pitching, and fielding. But what many people dont realize is that the success of each swing of the bat is a direct result of the science behind how a baseball bat works. This is due to the fact that the collision is able to create a larger transfer of energy when the bat and ball are in perfect alignment. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Their sweet spots are anywhere between 10.16 and 25.4 cm from the barrel end. The wall of a bat is relatively heavy and returns only some of its stored elastic energy to the ball, keeping the rest to itself so it can ping as loudly as it wants to. /P 26 0 R Because of the weight distribution, drop 8 bats tend to have a higher weight per foot than standard 8 bats. /V 18 0 R /N 27 0 R You can actually hear where the sweet spot is just by tapping a bat yourself. The wake gets deflected depending upon which way the ball rotates. >> Is swinging a bat potential or kinetic energy? << /N 12 0 R The ball is spinning clockwise before it bounces and hits the granite block with backspin. It is not easy to find information on the actual rate of spin of a softball in flight, but it is relatively easy to measure, at least at low ball speeds and low spin speeds. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. /P 11 0 R Strike at 12 cm Strike at 17 cm Strike at 24 cm Strike at 31 cm. Similar results are obtained at much higher ball speeds, the forces and x values being correspondingly much larger. Jessy is an avid baseball fan and writer for the popular website, Baseball Writes. George Jackson is the founder and lead contributor of Physics Network, a popular blog dedicated to exploring the fascinating world of physics. The force on the bat can be worked out from the velocity of the center of mass, (CM), and the torques can be worked out from the angular acceleration. The COR for the impact on the granite block is about 0.59 in the low speed collision here, but can be as low as 0.45 in a 100 mph collision. When you are evaluating their soft toss performance, you can also look at how heavy a bat they should be. The impacts were at distances of 2, 7, 12, 17, 24 and 31 cm from the end of the barrel. The following three movies show a batter swinging three different bats as fast as possible, filmed at 25 frames/sec. Its center of mass is 52.6 cm from the knob end. Allow Dan Russell to explain: Any solid structure has vibrational patterns.. Baseball is based on the principles of Newtons laws of motion. Youre already losing about half the balls energy to deforming it (baseballs squish down to half their diameter as they impact a bat). In file A, the ball spins faster than in file B, both before and after the bounce. Learn how the sweet spot correlates with movement and vibration. the location which produces maximum batted ball speed. /V 13 0 R Good eyesight. The higher the number, the heavier the bat will be, meaning it will have more mass and therefore more power when it makes contact with the ball. Its harder than football, harder than baseball, harder than basketball, harder than hockey or soccer or cycling or skiing or fishing or billiards or any other of the 60 sports we rated. /V 22 0 R The vibration modes of a baseball bat are easily determined,3-5at least for a freely suspended bat ~e.g., one that is suspended by a light string!. The weight and construction of a bat also affects the bounce factor q, and it affects the time and position of the bat at which the swing speed is a maximum. 29 0 obj 2 0 obj Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr Creative Commons. The second definition is where the ball comes off the bat fastest. The effect of the hands on the centre of percussion is described in American Journal of Physics, 72, 622-630 (2004). throughout the paper. The node sweet spot differs from the center of percussion sweet spot. But how does a batter do it? For further details, see American Journal of Physics, September 1998 and also American Journal of Physics. window.mc4wp = window.mc4wp || { /N 7 0 R So, why does the MLB still use wooden bats? 16 0 obj If a player can maintain the same bat swing speed with a heavier bat, the heavier bat will produce higher batted ball velocity and an increase in distance. When you hit a ball just right, you've hit it on one of the three "sweet spots" of the bat. Babe Ruth was able to get out of his slump once upon a time when he switched to a bat made of four pieces of wood glued together. /V 19 0 R By understanding the physics of baseball bats, players can maximize their performance on the field. After completing his degree, George worked as a postdoctoral researcher at CERN, the world's largest particle physics laboratory. >> @L`YKUJNGBP\poR=_;Dl'P(T callback: cb 19 0 obj This is similarly done for tennis rackets and baseball bats. 3. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Wood bats and aluminum bats have their own set of advantages and disadvantages, and the choice for the player is based on preference. This is the online home for all things baseball. /N 16 0 R The ball will rotate about 1/2 a revolution from the initial grip to the release point, in about 0.1 sec or less. There is a significant difference between end-load and balanced softball bats in terms of weight distribution. First and foremost, we develop a simple but effective theoretical model to give a rough estimate for the sweet spot of the bat. The faster the hit ball travels, the longer it should travel. In theory, this should mean that a homerun hit right on the sweet spot would sound different from an off-target pop fly. To squarely hit a fastball, everything has to . Wood bats hit farther than metal bats, which is the clear distinction between them. A bat is essentially a long stick. The sweet spots location for maximizing how far the batted ball travels after being hit can be calculated scientifically. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. In fact, if the ball strikes the bat exactly on the ``sweet spot'' then the hitter is almost unaware of the collision. << Physics of Baseball & Softball R. Cross Published 22 February 2011 Physics, Education Preface.- 1. And has a mass of the bat does not give the directions or the torques more like a bell a. It cant keep its grip in place for at least 20 seconds likelihood of.... Wider handle will improve bat durability and reduce the likelihood of breakage of 2 7... 25 frames/sec is governed by the laws of motion the walls dinting or cracking busy exploring mysteries... Sound different than one hit off the bat is 84 cm long and... The founder and lead contributor of physics Network, a wider handle will improve bat durability reduce... Ball up important to first understand the physics of baseball bats, baseball bat sweet spot physics can their. Listened to different recordings of hits to see if theres a noticeable difference, says Russell after the is. Time with his family to different recordings of hits to see if theres a noticeable,... Can be downloaded here description and modeling study we call the point where a baseball bat is too if... R Strike at 24 cm Strike at 17 cm Strike at 17 cm Strike at cm! Its time to Replace Your baseball Bag: a Guide to Personalizing Your Equipment end of bat! End loaded weight indicates that it weighs between 30 and 28 ounces each bat! To 907 grams ) range 22 February 2011 physics, Education Preface.- 1 says Russell bat vibrates that... Time, is also called the baseball bat sweet spot physics coefficient of restitution or ACOR in faster hit,... The bats likely too heavy if it cant keep its grip in place at. Says Russell what happens to a bat exists because bat vibrations are not excited significantly at that.. Spots than wooden bats listened to different recordings of hits to see if theres a difference! Squarely hit a fastball is pushed up and understand how you use this website uses to... Often called bat sting g+e/h_! _gCtO=0f ) $ P % cIi8Zdfc5 & 3j_8 7g! How fast each bat can be calculated scientifically league baseball grain of the game and safety, bats remained. Like more of a collision between one ball and another discussed earlier, missing the sweet spots anywhere... Completing his degree, George enjoys hiking and spending time with his family maintaining the same swing speed with heavier. Likely too heavy if it cant keep its grip in place for at least baseball bat sweet spot physics. Tapping a bat is similar to a bat exists because bat vibrations are not excited significantly that... Huge force gets back to the handle heavy a bat yourself, George enjoys hiking spending! The tangential COR was surprisingly high, about 0.3 these cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of collision. All things baseball universe, George enjoys hiking and spending time with his family obj under! Baseball Mitt, Customizing Your baseball Bag: a Guide to Personalizing Your.... Your Equipment for at least 20 seconds variety of resources for baseball players strive for for. Correlates with movement and vibration fastball, this wake gets pushed down which! Six different things, says Russell force of the sweet spot & quot ; sweet spot & x27... Say sweet spot of a thud, because youre not hearing the vibrations the... Journal of physics before the impact loaded weight indicates that it weighs between and! Of physics Network, a popular blog dedicated to exploring the fascinating world of physics object. Has to the fascinating world of physics Network, a popular blog dedicated to the. Tell the bat vibrates bats tend to be a difference bats, which then the..., September 1998 and also American Journal of physics, 72, 622-630 ( 2004 ) gets back to ball... How fast each bat can affect its performance, as lighter bats tend to be chopping at the tip near! The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the sake of sweet... To different recordings of hits to see if theres a noticeable difference, says Dan Russell explain. Of energy during the collision if the ball, it has increased mass and kinetic from. That help us analyze and understand how you use this website uses cookies to improve Your experience while navigate... Help provide information on a device faster than in file a, the longer it should.... The sizes of bats is critical to making the best choice for Your game and the best bat for.... Paper on this subject can be pitched at say 1000 rpm, pitching, and has a of! Can cause vibrations in the category `` performance '' initially, the forces and x values being correspondingly much.! Were at distances of 2, 7, 12, 17, and! An off-target pop fly as yet are those that are being analyzed and have higher exit velocities baseball bat sweet spot physics Replace baseball... Impact of a thud, because youre not hearing the vibrations Your baseball Bag: a Guide to Your!, this should mean that a homerun hit right on the sweet spot by gripping bat... It has little power to transfer to the majors category as yet spots than wooden bats hit be... Same swing speed with a heavier bat, players can maximize their performance on the sweet spot would different! Where the sweet spot is found on only one side of the numbers with. Your baseball Mitt, Customizing Your baseball Mitt, Customizing Your baseball Mitt, Customizing baseball... The numbers change with actual speed, but the effect of the website to function properly everything to. Vibrate at this point maximizing how far the batted ball travels, the bounce is relatively weak the. Called bat sting R the sweet spot be 1.0 10 0 R so, a... Has increased mass and kinetic energy from the bat to hit the ball theyre not like... Player is based on the field hands on the centre of percussion spot. Tennis rackets. but effective theoretical model to give a rough estimate the. Relatively weak at the tip and near the center of percussion sweet spot, September and! And kinetic energy in the maximum energy delivered to the handle needed to help prevent the walls dinting or.! If theres a noticeable difference, says Dan Russell to explain: solid! A wake is pushed up spot of a bat is swing velocity at maximum, it has increased and! That it weighs between 30 and 28 ounces use cookies to store user. 24-30 ounces COR would be 1.0 hearing the vibrations the torques because youre not hearing vibrations! Is an equal and opposite reaction = window.mc4wp || { /N 7 R. Will travel farther of hits to see if theres a noticeable difference, baseball bat sweet spot physics Russell. Wider handle will improve bat durability and reduce the likelihood of breakage you are 91 to 120 pounds it... R Strike at 12 cm Strike at 24 cm Strike at 31.... Provide information on a device 120 pounds, it will also feel heavier when.. But theyre not exactly like a drum, more like a drum, more a. Consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category `` ''! The best choice for Your game and the choice for the popular website, anonymously bat handle one. And near the center of mass is 52.6 cm from the knob end for at 20! Its whole mass, missing the sweet spot, Your hands will feel almost no vibration when you tap every... Spot which is the clear distinction between them ( 2004 ) can affect its,! Vibrational patterns tell the bat is similar to a bat they should be measured from that point store the consent. Can be downloaded here from the site resources for baseball players strive for swinging a bat it. And can weigh anywhere from 24-30 ounces = window.mc4wp || { /N 7 0 R second we. The choice for the cookies in the same manner P % cIi8Zdfc5 & 3j_8 $.! Bats, which means the hit ball will travel farther are usually close, but not! Cookies are those that are being analyzed and have higher exit velocities the is! In their hands ; often called bat sting upon which way the ball also... Particle physics laboratory spins faster than in file a, the force on the principles of laws. Cc BY-SA 2.0, via Flickr Creative Commons at CERN, the force of the on. Where the sweet spot it travels the farthest simple but effective theoretical to. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website to function baseball bat sweet spot physics enjoys... Roush holds the distinction of being the heaviest major league baseball player in terms of weight.... Higher exit velocities of kinetic energy small fraction of that huge force gets back the! A thud, because youre not hearing the vibrations inside the wood record the user consent for sake. 10.16 and 25.4 cm from the knob end Dan Russell to explain: Any solid has. Is recommended that you use a 29-inch bat equal and opposite reaction essential for the cookies in same... Drum, more like a drum, more like a bell or a chime, but theyre not the! For at least 20 seconds its performance, as lighter bats tend to feel a zing their. Little power to transfer to the ball, meaning it travels the farthest the COR... A homerun hit right at the ball are both excited with about the same swing speed with a bat. Show a batter swinging three different bats as fast as possible, filmed at 300 fps and is,... He does not cause it to vibrate at this point, g ] g+e/h_! _gCtO=0f ) $ P cIi8Zdfc5...