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Join Date: Nov 2011
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Adding Fun to Sports

07/24/2012 8:30 AM

TRAJECTORY OF A BALL- ADDING WOBBLE

  • A cricket ball is normally made of hard solid cork. If replaced with a hard outer with a liquid or hollow inner with a second hard cork with lot of gap in between - how will the trajectory of the ball be affected - when bowled? Or when hit high up in the air with a bat? Will a spin bowler be able to spin - adding wobbles too? Will a fielder be able to judge the path- if there is wobble in addition? Will it add more fun to the game?
  • A tennis ball is made of a hard rubber with fur surface. If Filled with liquid inside or a second similar rubber ball inside - will it add to wobble & spin in addition? Will it add more fun to the game?
  • We can goon thinking similar things for foot ball, basket ball, table tennis and so on.
  • First - we need to ascertain how change in ball - will affect trajectory under different circumstances.
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Guru
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#1

Re: Adding Fun to Sports

07/24/2012 8:36 AM
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#2

Re: Adding Fun to Sports

07/24/2012 9:24 AM

I fail to see any enhanced enjoyment from wobbly balls.

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#3
In reply to #2

Re: Adding Fun to Sports

07/24/2012 11:29 AM

Pah! No imagination!

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#4

Re: Adding Fun to Sports

07/24/2012 12:41 PM

Why?

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#5

Re: Adding Fun to Sports

07/24/2012 3:29 PM

Completely filling a ball with a fluid will change the total mass of the ball but I would not expect any significant trajectory changes as it travels through air. There maybe an unpredictable effect bouncing a ball partially filled with a fluid. Making a ball where the center of mass does not coincide with the volumetric center (uneven density) will make for the wobbling effect you wish for.

I am certain though that every sport has limitations if not an out right banning of any modification of a game ball. People have been shot for less. Be very careful who and when you use such a doctored ball.

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#6
In reply to #5

Re: Adding Fun to Sports

07/24/2012 5:19 PM

The rotational inertia would change quite a bit, and in some sports that would matter a lot.

I think it would affect a sport like baseball quite a bit. The internal drag between the fluid and the outer sphere would reduce the curve in curve balls and sliders, and might flatten out the trajectory of a knuckleball, too. Then after the ball has been hit, the torque imparted back to the ball would affect it's recoil. The solid 'crack' for a home run would probably be gone, and perhaps the home run would also be gone. Depending on how rigid the outer shell is, there would likely be less spin, which could affect how a grounder bounces, and so on. It might be like playing with a wiffle ball with a water balloon stuffed inside it.

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#7

Re: Adding Fun to Sports

07/25/2012 5:00 AM

Take a fresh egg and a hard boiled egg and roll them on the table.

Dave

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#8
In reply to #7

Re: Adding Fun to Sports

07/25/2012 5:31 AM

Almost there...the raw egg can't possibly bounce...just like a tennis ball filled with fluid.

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Guru

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#9

Re: Adding Fun to Sports

07/25/2012 6:37 AM

All balls will be googlies.

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Commentator

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#10

Re: Adding Fun to Sports

07/25/2012 7:28 AM

Responses 5 & 6 to the thread are meaningful. I definitely would understand that speed of games like football, basketball or cricket would be slowed down. There will be fewer goals. In cricket - the ball will spin unpredictably when bowled. So also in foot ball when a player kicks the ball - the trajectory taken will not be straight as predicted - and now we introduce a game of chance in between. the foot ball can change teams depending where it falls and who gets it by watching the trajectory change. That is part of the fun.

When the fluid is 100% filled - it will be as good as a solid ball. Hence the fluid content must be less in volume - to add friction within. When the foot ball of this kind is kicked - the solid outer shell and the liquid therein do takes the force. it is the partly filled fluid - which will decide the trajectory depending its distribution internally.

Thank you for acknowledging that there will be a difference in trajectory- well whether it will be acceptable to sports fraternity is different. May be children can play such a foot ball and have fun- to begin with.

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