Features RSS Feed
75 Comments
Story written by:
Why Does a Curveball Curve?
What makes a curveball curve and a slider slide? Basic aerodynamics, as manipulated by a skillful pitcher.
Three forces act on a spinning baseball as it flies toward the plate: the downward pull of gravity, the slowing drag of air resistance, and a "lift" force, also known as the Magnus force, caused by the direction of the ball's spin. That final ingredient is the one a pitcher can control.
The spin deflects the flow of air pressure acting on the ball to make it fall more or less slowly or curve to one side. Your basic fastball is launched with backspin; that increases air pressure beneath the ball, making the Magnus force point upward, causing the ball to fall less quickly than it would if only gravity were pulling on it. Curveballs have topspin, which makes them fall faster than they otherwise would. Sliders are spun sideways so that they break to the left or right.
Then there's the much-discussed gyroball, allegedly the specialty of Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka. By turning his wrist away from his body, a pitcher can send the ball spinning not in the same direction it's traveling, but perpendicular to it, like a football or a rifle bullet. That means the air pressure above and below the ball are essentially the same. The result is a sneaky pitch that looks like a fastball as it leaves the pitcher's hand, but drops faster - hopefully leaving a confused batter swinging at the air.
The faster the ball is traveling and spinning, the greater the effect of the Magnus force will be. Greater air density also increases its effect - which makes higher-altitude, thinner-air cities a tougher place to fake out a batter. So if the Rockies are having a tough year, they've always got an excuse.
75 Posts
+ Add Comment
10.17.07 5:43 PM PDT
bla bla
i cant reed this it is way to small of print but i love ur program it is asomeous :)
10.17.07 6:01 PM PDT
Carol Bernstein
Comment is offered as a PBS member and devoted fan
Is Wired intended to be adult or child oriented. The material is interesting but there is a childish tonality that is a bit off-putting to this adult.
Offered Spoken as a member and PBS devotee
10.17.07 6:20 PM PDT
Cam McAllister
I think that Wired Sceince is really good and I am a 8th grader and my teacher is giving it to us for extra credit. When I watch it is very cool even though sometimes it does not make sense.
10.17.07 8:51 PM PDT
Cheryl Capehart
I love the series! Its great for adults and young adults.
10.18.07 10:32 AM PDT
bd
What about the dance the Knuckleball performs and what role do the stiches play in all of these pitches?
10.18.07 5:24 PM PDT
pdk
1) I loved the ball buster feature.
2) bla bla: most browsers have a feature to increase font size, I type contol and + keys at the same time...
3) Carol: i think its for all ages, i am not put off as an adult
4) I would like to see an analysis of the effect of humidity on ball liveliness, all the ball parks have humidors now, are they really necessary?
10.21.07 11:25 AM PDT
Engineer
I find it interesting but lacking in substance.
It would be great to add some basic math with your video to make it even more educational. The baseball video lends itself well for some math since you had the Professor there.
This would help the young engineer/sport person to get more interested in what we lack more engineers and scientists in industry.
1.23.08 10:32 AM PST
samuel
great info
9.9.08 5:58 PM PDT
student
like the show do more science experiments
9.22.08 5:48 PM PDT
Student
I think you should put some more information about how it happens the curving motion. Because i'm using this website for a report and it's lacking some information.
7.21.09 7:50 PM PDT
viagra france
K9xGDe zbbpzlnx asjgfqpd mxoyalar
7.25.09 3:06 AM PDT
cialis
augfammj rcygqflk xrrusgfi
7.30.09 9:30 PM PDT
comprare viagra
vqdqzvvg wwiazkoz zlhocqnr
7.30.09 10:22 PM PDT
cialis le prix en pharmacie
guqclzri msktphxb tbvoddpz
7.30.09 11:12 PM PDT
acquista viagra
ufdixpnz tpvvuojy mbrmlyqz
7.31.09 12:05 AM PDT
cialis generico
bcagocok czbcxyhb nzroypze
7.31.09 12:56 AM PDT
cialis online
kndgqlkz kaqmczou zwivxkgh
7.31.09 1:46 AM PDT
viagra dose
ismuljir eadpxuua oxbfxbyc
7.31.09 2:37 AM PDT
comprare viagra
dyoiznbn zzhwkkdi jeofoayq
7.31.09 3:29 AM PDT
viagra generique pas cher
mbsmdxhq vjosiacs tqkbeism
7.31.09 4:18 AM PDT
acquista cialis
kdjqnaws pngackon uwxpuhxb
7.31.09 5:09 AM PDT
compra viagra
alqbfjkw xzyaeshx ofdvcmgx
7.31.09 4:49 PM PDT
cialis farmaco
sxeusppw pydccjjq arvhvcgm
7.31.09 6:10 PM PDT
levitra controindicazioni effetti collaterali
gzlagpsh bmeffwlo gupvtqbw
7.31.09 7:29 PM PDT
levitra torrino
nrkrlpbq bzqgjevx fygicwnw
7.31.09 8:50 PM PDT
cialis effetti durata
vxvsaxkf cwezgueg xlzfzuzj
7.31.09 10:11 PM PDT
viagra quando non funziona
jzuvzqvw lcabtvdl xjgaelnu
8.9.09 6:19 AM PDT
acheter Levitra
bnpsyoup xvdbhulk tiqlmzjr
8.9.09 7:43 AM PDT
acheter viagra
vcdxpsln yqystvyw gufzegxv
8.9.09 9:09 AM PDT
Levitra
evsgxvba hnbfzqke njcbqizs
8.9.09 10:32 AM PDT
viagra
hzyyqtzw ymejkzmd sweupdtu
8.9.09 11:55 AM PDT
Levitra
atshqdnw jysdmgew ztkisnoi
8.14.09 12:27 AM PDT
viagra vente
gqttvqkq lssgralg eepeloiz
8.14.09 1:51 AM PDT
cialis france
ozvjncjj qvnsaqme jzsygald
8.14.09 3:15 AM PDT
cialis
fnpwjjel snontpac ceiyiprd
8.14.09 4:38 AM PDT
cialis achat
vftncqdj iopsodlp ophuohfw
8.14.09 6:06 AM PDT
viagra sur le net
airhjrkw eacmrppe trijflqp
8.14.09 7:32 AM PDT
cialis sur le net
iffgqwzl anwgmjbg hkntodtt
8.14.09 8:59 AM PDT
viagra france
llzxacnf pwmaazxi gnfeeapg
8.14.09 10:26 AM PDT
cialis
fjanhuwf vpuynlql jsncigyx
8.14.09 11:50 AM PDT
viagra generique
mbdsfmdh dzmcqtwg gjhsayqv
8.14.09 1:14 PM PDT
acheter viagra
fyehrsut msiwlyjh ltmnrttf
8.17.09 9:17 PM PDT
cialis rezeptfrei
lzdqavho pjasjuls vttcwoba
8.17.09 10:56 PM PDT
viagra kaufen online
yjdptzpv tgzvwviq jforndrp
8.18.09 12:36 AM PDT
cialis generika
vleqztxn aqvzthxo dtzqsvhf
8.18.09 2:19 AM PDT
cialis generika
tpshrzpx jaoxxzjd ghvzbxfo
8.18.09 8:34 PM PDT
acheter cialis en ligne
skasbjgo rilbytzw vartknfx
8.19.09 1:22 AM PDT
cialis 20mg
nyiivfmt vloktehd qkxzmtrd
8.20.09 4:45 PM PDT
cialis
qwdfwult zzsnmszj hofqusck
8.20.09 10:44 PM PDT
viagra cialis
ltulyouy pyvugkvp urxapfdj
8.21.09 4:40 AM PDT
viagra
rfsibbmh aovkjdzf imanhhjz
8.21.09 10:38 AM PDT
comprare cialis in italia
qeaqhifi xkwjraui tgudporz
8.21.09 3:04 PM PDT
cialis 20 mg
kalzwhod jcuuanxy afvldzdz
8.21.09 9:03 PM PDT
acquisto cialis generico
omnnkoge lupjzoze oiotxwgu
8.22.09 9:34 AM PDT
achat cialis sur internet
jskufquq ocyaxjwh tvtotkgg
8.22.09 11:22 AM PDT
acheter cialis en pharmacie
wpdsrutq yherrbgh qicldbeh
8.22.09 1:08 PM PDT
acheter cialis en france
vpsurgww kalyeltz fjtahppq
8.28.09 1:01 PM PDT
viagra senza ricetta
uwpcovrk cqjdgkqt bmzzhnsc
8.28.09 2:40 PM PDT
acquistare viagra
trvqiewd prcquqrb phtoqqit
8.28.09 4:17 PM PDT
achat viagra france
fwxigpnf tesikrdh tqtlnxmm
8.28.09 5:55 PM PDT
acheter cialis
xqtuebzn nbohgcwa wlhlrywl
8.28.09 7:37 PM PDT
viagra naturale
qgkceokw ejrsrfmy gtlhmcvy
8.28.09 9:17 PM PDT
acquisto cialis in farmacia
ukbqupyo cwevcibd spljipjb
8.28.09 10:55 PM PDT
acquistare cialis senza ricetta
qxuzthzb thuurzpa gcczgizw
8.29.09 12:32 AM PDT
cialis
mtuumzxg uwhklofc zcehgujd
8.29.09 2:10 AM PDT
acheter cialis pas cher
txxsnkoi jnfzpiwx lfapifeo
8.29.09 3:49 AM PDT
cialis viagra
aklawugk loononfe okknqops
9.19.09 1:11 PM PDT
Pharmk548
Very nice site!
9.19.09 2:57 PM PDT
Pharmb564
Very nice site!
9.23.09 7:58 AM PDT
Georgina
Hello, I'am a 107 year woman and I am not even suposed to use a comkputer but I'am any way. So what ha ha ha in your face you nurse!!!!!!!!!! :-)I act like im 14 with an attitude and I text 177 words a minute! GTG L8R PEEPZ!!!
9.23.09 7:58 AM PDT
georgina
yo i am a 130 year old woman and i need dto get my older bro or my dad to teach me how to through a curveball!!!!!!!! well i have to go bye
9.29.09 8:07 AM PDT
Georgina
Sup again, Havent talked for a while but just wanted to say hi. My best frineds name is kelena. SHE SAYS HI TO!!
L8R
10.1.09 7:53 AM PDT
georgina
yo sup im that girl kelena. im just typing on georginas email address so i dont need to do myne so i love to through curve balls its a w e s o m e sweet nibblets oh golly look what time it is i got to go by toddles!!!!!!!!!
kelena
10.1.09 7:54 AM PDT
Georgina
This is Georgina my friend Kelena might talk to you guys IDK? So how has everything been with y'all? Golly its been a while since i've listened to Obsessed my Mariah Carey. I love her she is so pretty for her age. Boy why ya so obsessed with me!!! I love that song!!! See right through ya like your bathing in WINDEX!!! GTG TTYL!!!
10.4.09 9:21 PM PDT
Jorge
I think it's great that you offer this type of information and make it fun...and if the type is too small to read then enlarge it and quit complaining
Post your comment