The motion of a curve ball
By: Joseph Lai, Phyics OAC student at North Toronto C.I. 1999-2000
The motion of a curveball is a very intriguing topic because many have wondered if the baseball actually curves or if it simply is an illusion. Just to spoil this long uncertain question, the curve ball does actually curve!!! Although many may still be unwilling to believe it, through simple understanding of physics prinicples one can actually mathematically show and prove that a curveball actually curves. In fact one can even calculate the degree in which the curve ball actually curves and which direction, left or right, up or down. However, like stated before, one must first analyze the curve ball with the physics of baseball, and touching on the topics of the: Drag Force, Bernoulli's Principle and Magnus effect. It is through those ideas that one will be able to answer the question, "Does a curve ball really curve?".
