Physics @ Twins Game

Physics Day at Twins Baseball Game – flyer sent to schools.

Teachers may select activities from the following that are appropriate for their students. Feel free to modify. All the linkable activities are in Word format.

The following activities have been developed by GO4ST8 Physics teachers ( Mark Brown, Steve Ethen,

Chris Kaus, Greg Landkamer, Rebecca Messer, and Leslie Swenson)

Activities:

A) Off-Site Activities (at local school) prior to April 3. 2008

1. Coefficient of Restitution – a bouncing ball – surface affect (Coefficient of Restitution)
2. Fastball reaction time: (Fastball reaction time)
3. Impulse – Does contact time matter? ()
4. Pitching Speed (Pitching Speed)
5. Running Speed (Running Speed)
6. COR – Minimizing Handle Forces (COR Handle Forces)
7. Finding a Sweet Spot of a bat (Sweet Spot)
8. Center of Percussion (CenterOfPercussion)
9. Coefficient of Restitution Baseball (COR BaseBall)
10. Work & Power (WorkAndPower)
11. Force Impulse Momentum (F-J-p)

B) On-Site Activities (under tent outside HHH Metrodome) April 3, 2008

1. Determination of air pressure outside and inside the HHH Metrodome (Determination of Air Pressure)
2. Fastball reaction time* for those unable to do before 4/3/08 there will be limited computers available before the game. See above description of the activity.
3. Pitching Speed* for those unable to do before 4/3/08 there will be a setup available before the game. See above description of the activity.
4. Center of Percussion activity* for those unable to do before 4/3/08 there will be a setup available before the game. See above description of
5. the activity.
6. COR – Minimizing Handle Forces activity* for those unable to do before
7. 4/3/08 there will be a setup available before the game. See the above
8. description of this activity.
9. Finding a Sweet Spot of a bat activity* for those unable to do before
10. 4/3/08 there will be a setup available before the game. See the above
11. description of this activity.
12. Center of Percussion activity. This is the second of two versions of an activity to find the center of percussion (or sweet spot) of a baseball bat.

C) On-Site Activities (at HHH Metrodome): while game progresses on April 3, 2008

The Twins will make a scaled map of the inside of the HHH Metrodome available to schools.

1. Catcher’s Strongest Arm (Catcher’s Strongest ArmCatcher's Strongest Arm.doc)
2. How Far Away is the batter? (How Far Away is the Batter)
3. Hustle Award (Hustle Award)
4. Whew! Runner’s speed to first (Whew)
5. Estimated attendance. Students will be asked to predict. Prizes will be awarded for best prediction from each school.
6. Determine/estimate the ball speed off the bat and/or maximum height in air for first base hit in a designated inning. (Students need to know time in air and horizontal distance from home to where ball lands). This determination will be for a designated inning and there prizes will be awarded for best prediction from each school.
7. Work and Power activity (see above description of activity)