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There is now a CONTENT FREEZE for Mercury while we switch to a new platform. It began on Friday, March 10 at 6pm and will end on Wednesday, March 15 at noon. No new content can be created during this time, but all material in the system as of the beginning of the freeze will be migrated to the new platform, including users and groups. Functionally the new site is identical to the old one. webteam@gatech.edu
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Following Yogi Berra's advice, I will use high-speed video clips to highlight some of the interesting physics underlying the game of baseball. The talk will focus on two broad aspects of the game: the physics of the baseball-bat collision and the flight of the baseball through the air. I will investigate some very practical questions and show how a physicist goes about trying to answer these question. Some examples: what is the "sweet spot" of a bat; how does the batter's grip affect the batted ball; why does aluminum outperform wood; how determines how far a fly travels; how much does a curve ball break; and why is Mariano Rivera such a great pitcher. My talk should have something for everybody, whether your interest is baseball, physics, or the connection between them.
