PLAYING CATCH

Joseph Stanovsky PhD 2013 by J.S. ABSTRACT This paper describes a solution for the motion of a f` utbol during a game of catch. The two players play catch while standing on the surface of a rotating merry go round. INTRODUCTION The surface of a childrens playground merry go round is shown in Fig 1. y O Q P x S

Figure 1: It is assumed the diameter of a rotating merry go round is about 8 feet. The ball is launched by a participant at P to a player at Q. The center of rotation is at O. For counterclockwise rotation the displacement of Q from P is negative. The line from O to S is orthogonal to OP. The positive z-axis angular velocity (at O) of a merry go round is defined in eq. (1). 0 O = 0 rad per second (Constant) (1) The positive displacement from point O to point P is defined in eq. (2) and Fig 1. Cos Cos OP = OP Sin = 3 Sin feet (2) 0 0 The unit vector OS is defined in eq. (3). Cos OS = Sin feet (3) 0 The velocity of point P is defined in eq. (4). 1 1 1 -Sin vP= OP = 0 0 = 3 Cos feet/second (4) 0 3 Cos 3 Sin 0 The velocity of point Q relative to P is defined in eq. (5). 1 1 1 Sin vQ/P = (-OP) (2) = 0 0 = 6 -Cos ft/sec (5) 0 -3 Cos -3 Sin 0 -Sin Sin Sin vQ = vP +2 vQ/P = 3 Cos +6 -Cos = 3 -Cos feet per second (6) 0 0 0 If the f` utbol is launched at = 90 (the velocity of the f` utbol directed to point O is C ft/sec) in eq. (7). After launching, the velocity of the f` utbol is constant. Note, in eq. (7), the substitution for Sin 90 = 1 and Cos 90 = 0.

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PLAYING CATCH
Sin 90 0 3 Launch velocity vP = 3 = 3 -Cos 90 +C -1 = -C ft/sec (7) 0 0 0 Equation (7) is an important result; it demonstrates the straight line velocity of the f` utbol and shows that if any mysterious force is observed during an experiment that it only occurs while the merry go round is rotating (that is, when 0). The unit vectors in eqs. (4) and (5) are the source of unit vectors and in eq. (8). -Sin Sin = Cos = -Cos (8) 0 0 The dot products in eqs. (9) and (10) define the solutions sought. The dot product in eq. (9) defines the component of the launch velocity that parallels while the dot product in eq. (10) defines the component of the launch velocity that parallels . 3 -Sin vP = -C Cos = (-3 Sin -C Cos ) feet per second (9) 0 0 3 -Cos -C +Sin = (-3 Cos -C Sin ) feet per second (10) 0 0 The motion of the f` utbol parallel to line PQ (rotating) is shown in eq. (9) whereas the motion of the f` utbol parallel to line OS (rotating) is shown in eq. (10). Both solutions reproduce the results of the experiment. That is, the f` utbol never reaches the player at Q because the f` utbol veers (but only due to angular velocity O). Numerical solutions of eqs. (9) and (10) are presented in Table 1. vP = Table 1: F` utbol Launched at = 90 3 4 5 Sin (-3 Sin -C Cos ) (-3 Cos -C Sin ) 0.0 0.9848 0.9397 0.8660 0.7660 0.6428 0.5 0.3420 0.1736 0.0 -C -2.9544 -0.1736 C -2.8191 -0.3420 C -2.5980 -0.5 C -2.2980 -0.6428 C -1.9284 -0.7660 C -1.5 -0.8660 C -1.0326 -0.9397 C -0.5208 -0.9848 C 0.0 -1.0 C -3 -0.5208 -0.9848 C -1.0260 -0.9397 C -1.5 -0.8660 C -1.9284 -0.7660 C -2.2980 -0.6428 C -2.5980 -0.5 C -2.8191 -0.3420 C -2.9544 - 0.1736C -3.0 -0.0 C

1 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 170 180

2 Cos -1.0 -0.1736 -0.3420 -0.5 -0.6428 -0.7660 -0.8660 -0.9397 -0.9848 -1.0

The solutions in Columns 4 and 5 are valid if the angular velocity of the surface of the merry go round is constant and rotates at +O radian per second. The angular velocity may be O. Column 4 is a solution of eq. (9) while column 5 is shows the result of eq. (10). CONCLUSIONS The f` utbol launch velocity at = 90 is | 3 -C 0 | feet per second in which the zero z-component velocity indicates the velocity of the ball is horizontal with the direction of launch from point P to point Q.

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PLAYING CATCH
The result of the solutions presented indicate that the f` utbol cannot be caught by the participant at Q. Consider two noteworthy results: (1) there is no mysterious force involved in this experiment and (2) the concept of a Coriolis Effect is vacated. The unusual or curved motion of the f` utbol results from the experiment performed on a rotating surface.

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