P.P.


 * Notes:**
 * For this years science fair I'm testing whether "corked" bats really do hit farther than normal wood bats.
 * This experiment is all about testing the physics of momentum.

My Hypothesis:

http://physicsbuzz.physicscentral.com/2011/05/corked-bats-juiced-balls-and-humidors.html This is a good website because it comes directly from the American Physical Society. It also links to //Myth Busters// and the well known book //The Physics of Baseball//.
 * Source 1:**

> So it may not be reliable.
 * This is an article about testing different factors in baseball. It tests three main ways to cheat in baseball, but the important one is that it tests corked bats.
 * A group of physicists tested the "corked" bat theory, in a way similar to my own test. They found that "corked" bats hit a slightly shorter distance than solid bats.
 * They said it works against the batter, but only slightly. I think that this can be used as prior data.
 * I can test this experiment because the margin of difference in their experiment isn't large and it doesn't say how many testes were performed.
 * It also says that many baseball research believe that the hallow inside of the bat can act as a type of trampoline. So that when the ball makes contact with the bat it will give and then retake it's form giving the ball an extra kick or boost.
 * The "corked" bat is also believed to let the hitter swing the bat faster to hit the ball faster.
 * However the physicists believe that the extra speed doesn't make up for the lack of density and mass that the bat looses when you cut out the center.

http://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/bats/corkedbat.html This is a valid source because it links back to Penn State Graduate School.
 * Source 2:**
 * Drilling a bat gives it slightly less mass than a normal bat
 * The less mass in a corked bat means it has a lower point of inertia meaning it can be swung faster
 * All these factors effect the batted-ball speed. The batted-ball speed is how fast the ball comes off of the ball. In most cases its around half the speed of the pitched-ball speed
 * This effectively shows how fast and how far the ball will travel
 * Even with the added speed the less mass means most likely a slightly slower batted-ball speed
 * Although, it goes on to say that using another method of corking (instead of corking the top to cork the bottom) you may get different results
 * This different way of corking can lead to the bat flexing during the swing which means it hits harder and creates a faster batted-ball speed.
 * This also slightly **increases** the moment of inertia

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/The-Physics-of-Cheating-in-Baseball.html# It is part of Smithsonian Magazine.
 * Source 3:**
 * This is an article based of the same tests the article in source 2 is on.
 * This article talks about how they performed a test to see if a corked bat really gave the bat a trampoline effect.
 * The trampoline effect is a term given to the idea that when a ball hits a hallowed bat the bat will compress on impact and then expand again.
 * This essentially could allow the ball to come off the bat with a much greater force.
 * However, according to the research these scientists performed, the trampoline effect is untrue.
 * It was said that since the wood used to make bats is so rigid, there is only a slight chance it will have any give on impact with a baseball.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/outdoors/sports/baseball/the-machine-that-shatters-baseball-myths From Popular Mechanics Magazine.  Source 5: 8th grade Florida Science, Textbook = = =**Works Cited**:= "The Machine That Shatters Baseball Myths." //Popular Mechanics//. Popular Mechanics, n.d. Web. 04 Oct. 2013. .
 * Source 4:**
 * This is an article all about a bat testing machine invented in Washington State University.
 * It is a cutting edge design, and it's now used by all baseball manufacturers and by the NCAA.
 * THeirn machine uses three key parts.
 * There's a 12-foot air cannon delivery system including a sabot (a plastic carriage that guides the ball down the tube).
 * A box of three light screens to measure ball speed.
 * A bat pivot to hold the bat in place. It holds the bat stationary, but it has give on impact and it swings backwards, since the bat is free to travel backwards.
 * The cannon fires the ball and the sabot at about 150 mph to make up for the bat not contributing any speed. The sabot holds the ball perfectly straight along the tube so it fires straight into the sweet spot of the bat.
 * This machine is used to test the pop of manufacturers bats.
 * This section talks about momentum.
 * Momentum is how hard it is to stop an object
 * Momentum is based on mass and velocity
 * Momentum=Mass X Velocity
 * It explains how inertia is an objects tendency to change direction
 * Objects with more mass have more inertia
 * Using the law of Momentum Conservation
 * This is an article from the reputable Popular Mechanics Magazine.

 "Momentum." // Florida Science. // New York, NY: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 2005. 201-05. Print. 
 * This is the 8th grade textbook.

Russell, Daniel A., Ph.D. "What about Corked Bats?" //What about Corked Bats? // Penn State University, n.d. Web. 04 Oct. 2013. . 
 * This is a reputable site because it's contents are from a published paper by a well know scientist. This site also truncates back to Penn State University's website.

Skyline, Buzz. "Physics Buzz: Corked Bats, Juiced Balls and Humidors." //Physics Buzz: Corked Bats, Juiced Balls and Humidors//. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Sept. 2013.
 * It comes directly from the American Physical Society. It also links to Myth Busters and the well known book The Physics of Baseball.

 Solomon, Christopher. "Smithsonian.com." //Smithsonian Magazine //. Smithsonian.com, n.d. Web. 04 Oct. 2013. <http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/The-Physics-of-Cheating-in-Baseball.html>.
 * This is a reputable site because it's an article from Smithsonian Magazine.