Re:Mythbusters Question - This Way and That
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I'm assuming that when you refer to "wind" on the ball, you mean "resistence". If the truck is traveling at -60mph and the ball is traveling at +60mph, the resistence should be equal from both directions. Yes, spin will have an affect, but without resistence from either side, it should not become a factor until the ball begins to be pulled down by gravity, thus creating resistence from below. And in my opinion, since it will fall a very short distance, the ball should not reach a velocity that will create enough resistence to make a difference. Thus, I still believe that the ball will fall straight down. - Joe
Re:Mythbusters Question - This Way and That
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Keep in mind though that the ball is being thrown in the opposite direction that the truck is traveling. If the truck is traveling north at sixty miles per hour, the ball would be thrown towards the south at sixty miles per hour. If the ball was dropped from the truck, it would obviously fall in an arc; however, it is being thrown backwards so it should negate the forward velocity.
Mythbusters Question - This Way and That
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· Score: 2, Interesting
My question for Mythbusters. A baseball pitcher stands in the back of a pickup truck facing backwards. The truck picks up speed until it reaches, say, sixty miles per hour. If the pitcher then throws a baseball (in the opposite direction that the truck is going) at sixty miles per hour, will the ball hang in the air, drop straight down, or drop in a parabolic arc? I think the ball will appear to pause briefly in the air and then drop straight down (providing the ball and truck are traveling at exactly the same speed), but some friends think it will drop in an arc. They believe that the wind will play a factor but I disagree...unless there is a head wind or cross wind. I'd love to see Adam and Jamie conquer all the physics issues to see what will happen (although I do see a pitching machine or tennis ball cannon take the place of the pitcher for consistency). Joe Montgomery
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I'm assuming that when you refer to "wind" on the ball, you mean "resistence". If the truck is traveling at -60mph and the ball is traveling at +60mph, the resistence should be equal from both directions. Yes, spin will have an affect, but without resistence from either side, it should not become a factor until the ball begins to be pulled down by gravity, thus creating resistence from below. And in my opinion, since it will fall a very short distance, the ball should not reach a velocity that will create enough resistence to make a difference. Thus, I still believe that the ball will fall straight down. - Joe
Keep in mind though that the ball is being thrown in the opposite direction that the truck is traveling. If the truck is traveling north at sixty miles per hour, the ball would be thrown towards the south at sixty miles per hour. If the ball was dropped from the truck, it would obviously fall in an arc; however, it is being thrown backwards so it should negate the forward velocity.
My question for Mythbusters. A baseball pitcher stands in the back of a pickup truck facing backwards. The truck picks up speed until it reaches, say, sixty miles per hour. If the pitcher then throws a baseball (in the opposite direction that the truck is going) at sixty miles per hour, will the ball hang in the air, drop straight down, or drop in a parabolic arc? I think the ball will appear to pause briefly in the air and then drop straight down (providing the ball and truck are traveling at exactly the same speed), but some friends think it will drop in an arc. They believe that the wind will play a factor but I disagree...unless there is a head wind or cross wind. I'd love to see Adam and Jamie conquer all the physics issues to see what will happen (although I do see a pitching machine or tennis ball cannon take the place of the pitcher for consistency). Joe Montgomery