The lateral force on a spinning baseball in a wind tunnel has been measured. The magnitude of the force is nearly independent of the orientation of the seams of the ball. The drag coefficient appears to be at most weakly dependent on Reynolds number and to be principally a function of the ratio of the rotational speed of the equator of the ball to the wind tunnel speed. This is to be compared to the work of Briggs, which implies a strong effect of Reynolds number on the drag coefficient.
This content is only available via PDF.
© 1987 American Association of Physics Teachers.
1987
American Association of Physics Teachers
AAPT members receive access to the American Journal of Physics and The Physics Teacher as a member benefit. To learn more about this member benefit and becoming an AAPT member, visit the Joining AAPT page.
