Author Question: How to calculate time in flight for a baseball pitch? (Read 1564 times)

mydiamond

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 804
Starting speed: 89.6 mph
Ending speed: 77.7 mph
Distance travelled: 55 feet

How can I calculate the time in flight?
Is it possible to make an Excel formula so I can just plug in the numbers?



clippers!

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 828
Well, you know distance, v1, v2, and acceleration.

Try this equation:

d = t*(v2-v1)/2

Isolate for t.



Related Topics

Need homework help now?

Ask unlimited questions for free

Ask a Question

Garrulous

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 686
Sure.  Start with the basic position/acceleration formula:

x= v0(t) + 1/2a(t^2)

x=55/5280 (to put it in miles), v0=89.6, and a=average acceleration = change in velocity/change in time = 11.9mph/t

pump these in the formula and you get

55/5280 = 89.6t + (5.95/t)(t^2)

55/5280= 89.6t + 5.95t

Notice that the nasty t^2 term gets taken care of by the /t you carried in from the a formula, so rearrange this to isolate t and you have your answer:

(55/5280)/(89.6+5.95)

The excel formula should look like this:

(distance in miles)/(starting speed in mph + 1/2 the change in speed in mph)  = time in hours.

I'll assume you can do the unit conversion if you want this is seconds, and since you're going to code this I won't bother to punch the calculator for you.



 

Did you know?

In the ancient and medieval periods, dysentery killed about ? of all babies before they reach 12 months of age. The disease was transferred through contaminated drinking water, because there was no way to adequately dispose of sewage, which contaminated the water.

Did you know?

The average adult has about 21 square feet of skin.

Did you know?

According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, lung disease is the third leading killer in the United States, responsible for one in seven deaths. It is the leading cause of death among infants under the age of one year.

Did you know?

A recent study has found that following a diet rich in berries may slow down the aging process of the brain. This diet apparently helps to keep dopamine levels much higher than are seen in normal individuals who do not eat berries as a regular part of their diet as they enter their later years.

Did you know?

In 2012, nearly 24 milliion Americans, aged 12 and older, had abused an illicit drug, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

For a complete list of videos, visit our video library