Baseball's Black Hole - Terminal Velocity

[SAump]

Consider the terminal velocity of a baseball. It has been mathematically proven to occur at 73.8mph. A knuckleball or curve ball released at 80mph may decelerate to 73.8mph over the plate. Are these "strange" effects sharply noticed at any other velocity?

Wind tunnel lab experiments confirm similar baseball terminal velocities between 92 and 94mph. A 4-seam, slider, cut or sinking fastball is released at 100mph and decelerates to 92 mph at the plate. A faster spinning 2-seam fastball doesn't decelerate or move as much. Are any of these "strange" effects comparable at other velocities?

The ball physically "hops" twice, at 73.8mph and 92-94mph in the air we breath. There is direct evidence from wind tunnel experiments available. There is indirect evidence available from MLB hitters and umpires. Consider it a decoupling in the air waves, similar to a sound barrier, around the baseball while passing through its terminal velocity.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trajectory_of_a_projectile
http://www.100.nist.gov/curverelease.htm

[tornado]

Who else hears Rod Serling's voice?

[Kevin Finnerty]

It makes me want to sit back and take a breathe.

[SAump]

Originally Posted by tornado

Who else hears Rod Serling's voice?

I was strictly talking terminal velocity. The baseball does "silly things" at or near terminal velocity.

Pretty good "science-fiction" analogy posted by member tornado, both classy and intellectual.

[bob jenkins]

Originally Posted by SAump

I was strictly talking terminal velocity. The baseball does "silly things" at or near terminal velocity.

Key words in comment include turbulent flow, vortex channel, vorticity, etc.

Pretty good "science-fiction" analogy posted by member tornado, both classy and intellectual.

Do you have any idea what "terminal velocity" means?

Please stop posting this crap.

[MrUmpire]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

Do you have any idea what "terminal velocity" means?

Judging from his post, no, he does not.

ter·mi·nal ve·loc·i·ty
• n. Physics the constant speed that a freely falling object eventually reaches when the resistance of the medium through which it is falling prevents further acceleration.

[Kevin Finnerty]

Terminal velocity is the speed that a train is traveling when it goes right through a train terminal without stopping.

I can't believe more people don't know that.

[tip184]

Too much physics for a Monday morning. The article you posted has no flow, it doesn't explain concepts, and it is just incomprehensible. Why can scientists not write anything in english?

Anyone who doesn't think a fastball can rise hasn't been calling a high enough caliber of baseball. The reasoning that because gravity pulls something towards the ground, therefore a fastball cannot rise, leaves out too many important facts.

[Tim C]

"Anyone who doesn't think a fastball can rise hasn't been calling a high enough caliber of baseball. The reasoning that because gravity pulls something towards the ground, therefore a fastball cannot rise, leaves out too many important facts."

Oh cripes, now SA has another uniformed follower.

Mate, over the last 10 years this site (and others) have proven time-and-time-again that a baseball thrown overhand CANNOT rise.

And trust me (unless your an ex-major leage umpire that worked in season games) I have called a higher caliber of baseball than you my friend.

I hope no one else wastes their time answering yet somone who lives in the "mythical land" of the rising fastball.

~Sigh~

[MrUmpire]

Would someone, please, PLEASE, lock this thread.

[Emperor Ump]

Mythbusters busted the "rising baseball" myth in their baseball special a while back.

[tip184]

Originally Posted by Tim C

Oh cripes, now SA has another uniformed follower.

Mate, over the last 10 years this site (and others) have proven time-and-time-again that a baseball thrown overhand CANNOT rise.

And trust me (unless your an ex-major leage umpire that worked in season games) I have called a higher caliber of baseball than you my friend.

I hope no one else wastes their time answering yet somone who lives in the "mythical land" of the rising fastball.

~Sigh~

Maybe you didn't work enough AAA games to see a rising fastball. One or two games doesn't cut it if you don't have an overhand power pitcher who can throw mid 90's. Or maybe you aren't tracking the ball properly.

[bobbybanaduck]

i've seen a rising fastball. it ended up above the break on the net.

[waltjp]

Originally Posted by tip184

Maybe you didn't work enough AAA games to see a rising fastball. One or two games doesn't cut it if you don't have an overhand power pitcher who can throw mid 90's. Or maybe you aren't tracking the ball properly.

Are the insults necessary?

[MrUmpire]

Originally Posted by tip184

Maybe you didn't work enough AAA games to see a rising fastball.

Exactly how many games does one have to work to see something that doesn't happen?

_____________

Okay, BigUmp. Now there's two posters functioning with the same limitations. I guess bringing up this myth for the gazillionth time was worthwhile after all.