Calculate an average "sting" rating for each bat in each three sweet zone categories. For these reasons, some scientists now prefer to describe a general region between four and seven inches from the end of the bat as a "sweet zone" rather than use the term "sweet spot." These plans are very user friendly which helps in making each woodworking project enjoyable and simple. (2020, November 20). Former Houston Astro Ron Cacini discusses the differences and dangers of using an aluminum baseball bat vs using a wooden baseball bat. The idea for this project came from this DragonflyTV podcast: Baseball may be the all-American game, but it's not without its controversy. Web. Scientific studies have shown that several such points exist near the wide end of the bat. PAWS - Personal Accessible Web Space - Kettering University. The argument for using different bats in high school and the major leagues is primarily cost: wooden bats break when a fastball is hit too low on the bat. Compare the peformance of aluminum vs. wooden bats of the same weight. Transitioning from an aluminum bat to a wood bat can be very difficult. WOOD OR ALUMINUM BAT SCIENCE PROJECTS or just about any kind of manual, for any sort of product. Investigate what scientists who study baseball physics say about the differences between hits with a hard ball versus hits with a softball. Dec 23, 2013 - baseball bat science fair project | Which Bat is Better for Hitting a Baseball; Wood or Aluminum It also allows them to get used to swinging a wood bat versus… Most college teams can get by with 12 aluminum bats per season, as opposed to more than 5 dozen wood bats per season. Metal bats pose a huge safety hazard. Mark each spot on your bats, and use these smaller points in a repeat experiment to evaluate how each may play a role in the distance the baseball travels after a hit. It’s because aluminum bats are lighter that they can be swung faster. Science Buddies Staff. Wood Bats Vs Aluminum Bats Science Project Fine Woodworking'S ( Watch Anywwere) | Wood Bats Vs Aluminum Bats Science Project Get Access To Plans! Using the wood bat I hit a range of 113 FT. and with the aluminum bat I hit a range of 102 FT. With the Wood Bat Vs Aluminum Bat Science Project free woodworking plans package, you will get help to build all kinds of projects, be it furniture, sheds, beds or wind generators. For over 30 years, New Jersey has used aluminum bats for all youth baseball and softball games, as has most of the country. Aluminum bats are hollow, except near the handle end, so they tend to be lighter and swing faster than a solid wood bat of the same length. Each of these characteristics has been carefully studied by bat manufacturers and baseball physics researchers. The aluminum also tends to "give" a little more than a wood bat when it … Decreasing the weight of the bat may increase the bat swing speed; however, the lower mass may decrease the collision between the bat and the ball. Hitting Power of Wood vs. Aluminum Baseball Bats Investigation Question and Hypothesis Investigation Question: What is the effect of a baseball bat material, wood vs. aluminum, on the hitting distance of a baseball? Wood bat ends are cupped to decrease the swing weight. To get you started, check out the video showing what two young baseball players, Reed and Nick, learned at their ball park when they compared Reed's wooden bat to Nick's aluminum bat in a side-by-side batting experiment. Is one bat consistently better than the other for the three sweet zone categories? How much difference in distance is there between hits that were in the sweet zone and hits that were out of (above and below) the sweet zone? In the test on how far the ball travels off the bat they concluded that the ball will travel on average sixty feet further off of an aluminum bat. We use cookies and those of third party providers to deliver the best possible web experience and to compile statistics. In this project I will take the scientific approach to answer this question. Volume 13 number 1 | The Sport Journal. Again, there's been interesting research into the physics of bats, balls, and the energetic outcome that results when the bat and ball each rebound after impact. That is a 7.9 MPH difference but is key for the older ages so people aren’t getting their heads ripped off on a line drive. I hypothesize the aluminum bat will perform the best but I also hypothesize if I don’t start using a wood bat I will develop bad habits for when I’m older and have to use a wood bat. The game would also be safer at all levels if wood bats were used because the batted ball speed would be slower. This site is the complete outline of a science fiar project - generally intended for kids projects in the Kindergarten through 8th grades, but also for 9th through 12th grades. They define the sweet zone as the area of a bat that produces the most powerful hit with the least amount of "sting" or discomfort to the batter. The aluminum also tends to "give" a little more than a wood bat when it comes in contact with the ball. When I used the aluminum bat I hit an average of 174.18 FT. This means a more likely chance for players to get injured. The aluminum absorbs the energy from the ball when contact is made and sends it right back, giving it a higher 'trampoline effect" compared to a wood bat. Web. Well, I have an upcoming science fair project and I'm doing mine on baseball.. comparing which bat can make a ball travel farther.. an aluminum bat or a wooden bat.. so can anyone help me come up with a catchy title? Hypothesis: If an aluminum baseball bat instead of a wood These tubes are machined to vary the wall thickness and the diameter, and produce bats that are light, strong, and hollow, as opposed to the solid wood. Both aluminum and wood-bats have this sweet spot. Weights in Aluminum Bats. They froze baseballs in … For any other use, please contact Science Buddies. It all boils down to something called the sweet spot. One person that compared the two bats has found that once the players reach the older levels of baseball and the professional leagues and have to use wood bats the players don’t perform as well. Please try again later. Prepare a bar chart of the data for the three sweet zone categories showing the average hit distance from the wood bat and aluminum bat next to each other. Wooden bats do not dent, but can break or crack. To do this project, you should do research that enables you to And lastly, aluminum bats have a larger "sweet spot" than wooden bats do. understand the following terms and concepts: To do this experiment you will need the following materials and equipment: Try one of our science activities for quick, anytime science explorations. This feature is not available right now. This allows the hitter to develop better mechanics. As the manufacturers continue to make bats from wood and metal even today, the end users seem to be in a dilemma as to which of these bats are more efficient. For help with data analysis and setting up tables, see, For a guide on how to summarize your results and write conclusions based on your data, see. Studies show that ball speed is higher for balls hit with an aluminum … If you cut an aluminum bat along its length, you would find a thin-walled barrel surrounding a cavity of air. Research the importance, if any, of bat length and weight to the distance a ball travels after being hit. How many of the hits that stung were associated with a short distance? By comparing the bats I will be able to find out what the best bat for your buck and for your future is. "Aluminum or wooden baseball bats." All rights reserved. Best of all, they are entirely free to get, use and download, so there is no cost or stress whatsoever. What is your enthusiasm for science after doing your project? The major difference between aluminum and wooden bats is weight. In and out of the top college baseball players join the West Coast League for extra.. The batter unnatural advantages George Manning, vice president of technical services at Hillerich & Bradsby.. Sizes of bats Kettering University please enter a search term in the next as... Larger than a wood bat and the other for the hits above, within, and take a minutes! 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