Randi+W+SF

__**Problem-**__ Does a baseball travel farther and higher than a softball when going at the same speed and angle of projectory? __**Hypothesis-**__ If a baseball and softball go at the same speed and are projected at the same angle of projectory, than the baseball will go father and higher.
 * __Title-__ Baseball vs. Softball **

__**Procedure-**__
 * 1) Make a height graduation (or vertical grid) that goes from 0ft to 10ft and mark the heights on the building or high structure with colored tape.
 * 2) Set the pitching machines at the same starting place. (make sure the machines are anchored in their starting place)
 * 3) Next, set the machines to 30 mph and 0 degrees. Place a ball in each machine and measure how far the ball goes in feet with a tape measure. Repeat putting a ball into each machine 7 more times and record the distances in the data table.
 * 4) Then change the machines to 45 mph and then record the distances of 8 balls in each machine.
 * 5) Then change the machines to 60 mph and then record the distances of 8 balls in each machine.
 * 6) Next, change the machine to 30 mph and 0 degrees. Place a ball in each machine and measure how high the ball goes on the height graduation. Repeat putting a ball into each machine 7 more times and record the heights in the data table.
 * 7) Then change the machine to 10 degrees, but keep the machine at 30 mph. Record the heights of 8 balls in each machine.
 * 8) Then change the machine to 20 degrees and record the heights of 8 balls in each machine.
 * 9) Find the averages of the different distances and heights and record them in the data table.

__**Materials-**__ Dimpled Baseball (in order to be compatible with the machine), Dimpled Softball (in order to be compatible with the machine), Softball pitching machine (Jugs brand) capable of going up to 60 mph, Baseball pitching machine (Jugs brand) capable of going up to 60 mph, Tape measure (that goes up to 200 feet), Colored tape, Protractor, Side of a buliding or high structure, and a large open area to conduct the experiment in.

11/18/11: - R.W. Picked up softball and baseball pitching machines and tape measure. 11/19/11: - R.W. Changed procedure from 10 mph to 30 mph, because machines didnt work as well that slow. Changed angles to 10 degrees and 20 degrees. Conducted the whole procedure and put data into the tables and found their averages. 12/18/11: - R.W. Added one foot to the height measurements for the softball trials, because the softball machine was a foot lower than the baseball machine. Added the bar graphs of the data for the averages of the heights and distances. 12/21/11: - R.W. Changed colors of headers to make them more noticeable. 12/28/11:- R.W. Added abstract, experimentation, discussion, conclusion, and applications. 1/1/11: - R.W. Added photos of experiment 1/4/11: - R.W. Changed experimentation. Changed layout of page. Deleted a photo. 1/5/11: - R.W. <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Moved pictures around. Finished experimentation.

__**Abstract:**__ This science fair project was an experiment to test whether a softball or baseball went farther and higher. It was tested by conducting 8 trials of softballs and baseballs going at different speeds and different angles of projectory. It measured the distances of 8 softballs and baseballs going at 30, 45, and 60 mph and the height of 8 softballs and baseballs with angles of projectory of 0, 10, and 20 degrees. After averaging the distances and height of all the softballs and baseballs it found that baseballs goes further and higher in every trial. The averages of the baseball distances were 67.85 ft, 120.44 ft, and 165.6 ft. The averages of the softball distances were 31.36 ft, 58.31 ft, and 86. 15 ft. The averages for the baseball heights were 4.78 ft, 8.39 ft, and 10.19 ft. The averages for the softball heights were 1 ft and 10. 75 inches, 4.58 ft, and 5.59 ft. The conclusion that was reached is that baseballs always go farther and higher then softballs. This experiment's research applications are that it could be used to determine if the sports of baseball and softball is easier or which ball would be easier on someone's arm to throw when wanting to reach a far distance or height. The potential for further testing of this experiment is that the distances could be tested at higher miles per hour and the heights could be tested at higher angles of projectory.

__**Problem:**__ Does a baseball travel farther and higher than a softball when going at the same speed and angle of projectory?

__**Hypothesis:**__ If a baseball and softball go at the same speed and are projected at the same angle of projectory, than the baseball will go father and higher.

__**Experimentation:**__ This experiment is conducted to find out if a baseball goes farther and higher then a softball when going at the same speed and angle of projectory. The hypothesis of this experiment is that if a baseball and softball go at the same speed and are projected at the same angle of projectory, then a baseball will go farther and higher. The backgroud research found about baseballs and softballs is that baseballs and softballs are fairly similar but have some different properties that affect their ability to travel farther and higher. A basball is a sphere that has a circumference of 9 to 9 1/4 inches and a mass of 0.145 kg. Baseballs are made of two pieces of white leather, which can be horsehide or leather, stiched around a inside composed of yarn wrapped around a small cork, rubber or similar material ball. A softball is also a sphere but can have circumferences of 11,12, or 16 inches and a mass of 0.165 -.200 kg. Softballs are made of either white or neon yellow leather or vinyl with a inside made of a cork and rubber mixture or polyurethane. Since the baseball is lighter and smaller it can travel through the air more easily than a softball can, because the smaller size of the baseball means that it experiences less drag, which is a force that tries to slow something down. The air the ball has to travel through is causing the drag is this experiment. As an object moves through the air it pushes aside air particles and since the baseball is smaller it has less air particeles to push aside, which allows it to go farther and higher. The independent variables in this experiement are the speed the ball travels and the angle of projectory of the ball. The dependent variables are the distance and height the ball travels. The way the variables are going to measured in this experiment are that the baseballs and softballs are going to be put through pitching machines and the distances they go and the heights they reach are going to be recorded in a data table. The distances are going to be measured of baseballs and softballs going at 30, 45, and 60 mph. The heights are going to measured of baseballs and softballs with angles of projectory of 0, 10, and 20 degrees going at 30 mph. Each angle and speed is going to have 8 trials for both softballs and baseballs. The control in this experiment is the baseballs and softballs going at 30 mph with an angles of projectory of 0 degrees. The different distance and height trials are going to be averaged together to find the average distance and height.

__**Experimental Results:**__ __**Data Table 1-** <range type="comment" id="293429">‍‍‍‍‍‍**//‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍Baseball Data Table//** ‍‍‍‍‍‍**//‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍//**__ Distances and heights of the 8 baseball trials in feet. ==‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍__Angles of Projectory:__== ||< ==‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍__Trial 1:__== ||< ==‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍__Trial 2:__== ||< ==‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍__Trial 3:__== ||< ==‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍__Trial 4:__== ||< ==‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍__Trail 5:__==
 * < ==‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍__Different Speeds and__==

||< ==‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍__**Trial 6:**__== ||< ==‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍__**Trail 7:**__== ||< ==‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍__**Trial 8:**__== ||< ==‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍__Average:__== || __**Data Table 2-**__ __**//‍‍‍‍‍‍‍Softball Data Table‍‍‍‍‍‍‍//**__ Distances and heights of the 8 softball trials in feet. ==‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍__Angles of Projectory:__== ||< ==‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍__Trial 1:__== ||< ==‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍__Trial 2:__== ||< ==‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍__Trial 3:__== ||< ==‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍__Trial 4:__== ||< ==‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍__Trail 5:__==
 * < <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(1) 30 mph and 0 ° (distance) ||= 64.9 ||= 67.7 ||= 67.9 ||= 67.10 ||= 68.7 ||= 68.11 ||= 69.0 ||= 69.4 ||= 67.85 ||
 * < <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(2) 45 mph and 0 ° (distance) ||= 113.0 ||= 114.10 ||= 115.2 ||= 120.2 ||= 120.8 ||= 125.2 ||= 127.1 ||= 127.9 ||= 120.44 ||
 * < <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(3) 60 mph and 0 ° (distance) ||= 141.1 ||= 154.7 ||= 164.4 ||= 164.6 ||= 169.3 ||= 171.1 ||= 176.3 ||= 183.3 ||= 165.6 ||
 * < <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(4) 30 mph and 0 ° <span style="font-family: arial,helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%;">(height) ||= 5.1 ||= 4.8 ||= 4.6 ||= 4.7 ||= 4.8 ||= 4.11 ||= 5.1 ||= 5.0 ||= 4.78 ||
 * < <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(5) 30 mph and 10 ° (height) ||= 8.4 ||= 8.2 ||= 8.5 ||= 8.4 ||= 8.5 ||= 8.3 ||= 8.4 ||= 8.4 ||= 8.39 ||
 * < <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(6) 30 mph and 20 ° (height) ||= 10.1 ||= 10.2 ||= 10.2 ||= 10.3 ||= 10.2 ||= 10.1 ||= 10.2 ||= 10.2 ||= 10.19 ||
 * < ==‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍__Different Speeds and__==

||< ==‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍__**Trial 6:**__== ||< ==‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍__**Trail 7:**__== ||< ==‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍__**Trial 8:**__== ||< ==‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍__Average:__== || __**Figure 1:**__ [|graph1.docx] Averages of the baseball and softball distances.
 * < <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">30 mph and 0 ° (distance) ||= 25.11 ||= 29.5 ||= 29.5 ||= 32.1 ||= 32.7 ||= 33.10 ||= 34.3 ||= 34.6 ||= 31.36 ||
 * < <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">45 mph and 0 ° (distance) ||= 54.2 ||= 54.8 ||= 56.1 ||= 56.6 ||= 58.9 ||= 59.2 ||= 60.8 ||= 65.9 ||= 58.31 ||
 * < <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">60 mph and 0 ° (distance) ||= 76.0 ||= 80.8 ||= 83.10 ||= 84.10 ||= 86.5 ||= 89.2 ||= 90.4 ||= 99.1 ||= 86.15 ||
 * < <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">30 mph and 0 ° (height) ||= 1' 10.9" ||= 1' 11" ||= 1' 10.7" ||= 1' 11.1" ||= 1' 10.2" ||= 1' 10.5" ||= 1' 10.7" ||= 1' 10.9" ||= 1' 10.75" ||
 * < <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">30 mph and 10 ° (height) ||= 4.8 ||= 4.10 ||= 4.7 ||= 4.8 ||= 4.5 ||= 4.6 ||= 4.5 ||= 4.6 ||= 4.58 ||
 * < <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">30 mph and 20 ° (height) ||= 5.4 ||= 6.0 ||= 5.7 ||= 6.0 ||= 5.7 ||= 5.10 ||= 5.11 ||= 5.7 ||= 5.59 ||

__**Figure 2:**__ [|graph2.docx] Averages of the baseball and softball heights.

__**Figure 3:**__

Building where experiment had taken place. __**Figure 4:**__

View of area experiment was conducted in. __**Figure 5:**__

Area the distance was measured in. __**Figure 6:**__

Height graduation with colored tape marking every 1 foot. __**Figure 7:**__

View from where pitching and softball machines were located. **__Figure 8:__**

Standard Baseball __**Figure 9:**__

Standard Softball __**Figure 10:**__

Dimpled Baseball or Softball (both have some apperance, only size varies) __**Figure 11:**__

Softball Pitching Machine __**Figure 12:**__

Baseball PItching Machine *__**Note:**__ Could not take pictures of actual softballs, baseballs, and pitching machines used in experiment. Were returned to owner before pictures were taken.

__**Discussion:**__ What was found after analyzing the data that was collected was that baseball goes farther and higher than softballs. After conducting the procedure and finding the baseball distances averages in data table 1, which were 67.85 ft, 120.44 ft, and 165.6 ft, it was found they were larger then the averages of the softball distances which were 31.36 ft, 58.31 ft, and 86.15 ft found in data table 2, and the averages for the baseball heights in data table 1 which were 4.78 ft, 8.39 ft, and 10.19 ft where larger then the averages for the softball heights which were 1 ft and 10. 75 inches, 4.58 ft, and 5.59 ft found in data table 2. The reason why the data shows this is because a baseball has a smaller circumference and a lower mass then a softball. Since the baseball is lighter and smaller it can travel through the air more easily than a softball can, because the smaller size of the baseball means that it experiences less drag, which is a force that tries to slow something down.The force creating the drag in this experierment is the air the ball has to travel through. As an object moves through the air it pushes aside air particles and since the baseball is smaller it has less air particeles to push aside, which allows it to go farther and higher. The ways this experiment can be improved or modified is that the heights of the balls could be more accuratly measured, since the height of the balls was some what of an estimate. The quality of the pitching machine could be improved because the pitching machines used were fairly old and not in the excellent condition. The project could also be done on a bigger scale and the heights could be measured going at 60 mph rather than 30 mph. The sources of error in this project are that the balls used were dimpled baseballs and softballs, which are not the type of balls a person would use in the actually sports of baseball and softball. The other sources of error could be that the land were the procedure was conducted at was not completly flat, which could of caused the balls to roll farther or a shorter distance then they would of if the land was flat. Also, the pitching machines did have a gauge to tell the speed the ball was leaving the machine, but there was no way of knowing if the machine's speeds were entirely accurate. Another source of error is that the softball machine was shorter than the baseball machine, and although that was accounted for in the height measurements it was not in the distance measurements.

__**Conclusion:**__ In conclusion, a baseball travels farther and higher than a softball when going at the same speed and angle of projectory. This experiment's hypothesis that if a baseball and softball go at the same speed and are projected at the same angle of projectory, then a baseball will go farther and higher was correct. All the averages that were collected during this experiment show that the baseball went farther and higher in all trials of the experiment. Since the baseball was smaller it had less drag allowing it to go farther and higher, making the hypothesis correct.

__**Applications:**__ The ways this science fair project could be used in real life are that it could be used to determine which sport would be easier on a person's body, since the project determined a baseball will go farther than a softball using the same amount of effort from a pitching machine, and a human's arm could be comparable to a pitching machine. It could also be used to determine which type of ball could be hit farther and higher, if the same amount of effort is used each time the ball is hit. The ways this study can be varied is that instead of using a pitching machine the ball could be hit with a bat to test the distances and heights. The type of ball could be changed to weighted softballs and baseballs or to different balls like tennis balls or laccrose balls. Instead of measuring the height and distance of the ball, the force or direction the ball goes could be measured.