Everyone wants to be up in the bottom of the Ninth inning and hit the game winning homerun. Obviously, many hours of
hard practice has been put in by professionals to make them the players that they are.
But do you know why the ball either rolls to the pitcher or goes over the wall?
"The Trampoline Effect"
The trampoline effect occurs when a high speed collision occurs between a bat and a ball.
The trampoline effect is when most of the initial center of mass kinetic energy is converted into compression energy in the ball.
This is illustrated in the diagram below:
Is Cheating Beneficial?
Contrary to popular belief, using a corked bat does not make the bat hit the ball harder.
WHAT??
The corking of a bat does make the ball travel farther when hit, but the bat does not hit the ball with more force. This is a common misconception because corked bats are usually associated with long powerful homeruns. This is because corked bat have shorter "modes" which allow for a greater transfer of energy. Corking, as it is known, is also beneficial because it allows for more accurate swings and greater bat velocity.
The Stress of Impact
