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Originally Posted by fwump
SAump,
I have to chime in on this one. I am a private pilot and I work for a major airline as an FAA certified Flight Dispatcher. You have stated more that once in your arguments supporting the "rising fastball" the idea that warm humid air at sea level creates more resistance against the ball because the air is "thick".
You should realize that warm humid air is actually less dense than cool dry air. One of the problems we deal with each and every day during the warm days of summer how high temperature effects aircraft performance. Because air becomes less dense as the temperature increases the there are fewer molecules of air flowing over the aerodynamic sufaces of the aircraft (wings). This creates less lift which then requires a longer take-off roll and often requires the pilots to use greater amount of thrust from the engines to accomplish a safe lift-off and climb. This problem is compounded by the altitude above sea level of the airfield.
So to say that air resistance creates "lift" on thrown sphere and to support that argument by also arguing that warm, humid "thick" air increases the effect is simply a spurious argument. Cooler dryer air has much more density that warm humid air. Your "rise" phenomenon, if true, would be more likely on a cool dry evening than a hot humid afternoon.
I should also point out that, as all residents of Texas know, warm air holds more moisture and is much more unstable as cool dry air. Air-mass thunderstorms that develop most afternoons in July and August attest to that fact.
Mike
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I understand that cold air is more dense, but cold dense air sinks and dampens LIFT. I am trying to explain LIFT which requires warm juicey air that RISES. Say an airplane or helicopter has a max altitude or ceiling. My experience is that the colder the air, the lower the ceiling. The warmer the air, the higher the ceiling. Warm humid air provides the MOST LIFT. Glider pilots love spring and summer because of strong winds in the spring and strong thermal uplifts in the summer. Same with baseball, most batters have warning track power (300 feet) on cooler nights. But once summer time rolls around, the ball takes off 30 to 100 feet further and the number of home runs CLIMB. I think a MLB pitcher has less MOVEMENT on his fastball on a cool night. Once he gets the sweat rolling off the bill of his cap, you know he's warmed UP enough to get a RISE or 2. If any of this is wrong, let me know because I may have messed UP.