Thread: licking fingers
View Single Post
  #32 (permalink)  
Old Thu Apr 09, 2009, 12:34pm
Dakota Dakota is offline
Official Forum Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Twin Cities MN
Posts: 8,154
Consider a ball pitched without spin in a straight line. It will have linear momentum equal to its mass times its velocity moving in that straight line. If a force (such as aerodynamic forces generated by spin breaking up surface tension or creating aerodynamic "lift" so to speak on one direction or another) is to influence this straight-line momentum, it will need to generate enough force to cause a change in the direction of the flight of the ball, and it has only about 35 or so feet and .2 seconds to accomplish this. Other than allowing the pitcher to get a better grip on the ball (and hence impart more spin, etc.) the change in aerodynamic force from a little saliva has no shot.
__________________
Tom
Reply With Quote