1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:03,400 Speaker 1: Welcome to brain Stuff from how stuff marks dot com 2 00:00:03,600 --> 00:00:14,640 Speaker 1: where smart Happens. Hi, I'm Marshall Brain with today's question 3 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:17,800 Speaker 1: in baseball, how does a picture throw a curve ball? 4 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:21,160 Speaker 1: A successful major league batter it gets a hit only 5 00:00:21,200 --> 00:00:24,040 Speaker 1: about thirty percent of the time he comes to bat. 6 00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:27,640 Speaker 1: But one of the ways pitchers lowered these chances even 7 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 1: further is by throwing a curveball. A curveball is a 8 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:34,479 Speaker 1: pitch that appears to be moving straight toward the plate, 9 00:00:34,840 --> 00:00:37,840 Speaker 1: but that is actually moving down and to the right 10 00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:42,080 Speaker 1: or left by several inches. Obviously, a pitch that curves 11 00:00:42,159 --> 00:00:44,520 Speaker 1: is going to be harder to hit than a fastball 12 00:00:44,560 --> 00:00:48,320 Speaker 1: that's moving straight. There are two basic factors involved in 13 00:00:48,360 --> 00:00:52,120 Speaker 1: creating a curveball. First is proper grip, and second is 14 00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:56,920 Speaker 1: air resistance. Any baseball pitch begins with how the picture 15 00:00:57,000 --> 00:01:00,480 Speaker 1: grips the ball. To throw a curveball, a picture hold 16 00:01:00,520 --> 00:01:03,920 Speaker 1: the baseball between his thumb and his index and middle fingers, 17 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:07,840 Speaker 1: with the middle finger resting on the baseball seam. When 18 00:01:07,840 --> 00:01:10,720 Speaker 1: the picture comes through his motion to throw the ball, 19 00:01:11,120 --> 00:01:14,399 Speaker 1: he snaps his wrists downward as he releases the ball, 20 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:18,440 Speaker 1: which gives the ball top spin. If the picture throws properly, 21 00:01:18,840 --> 00:01:21,399 Speaker 1: the back of his hand will be facing the batter. 22 00:01:21,440 --> 00:01:23,720 Speaker 1: At the end of the motion, the ball will break 23 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:27,160 Speaker 1: down and away from a right handed batter. If thrown 24 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:31,039 Speaker 1: by a right handed pitcher, The spinning action created when 25 00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:34,319 Speaker 1: the pitcher releases the ball is the secret behind the 26 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:38,440 Speaker 1: curve ball. This spinning causes air to flow differently over 27 00:01:38,520 --> 00:01:41,600 Speaker 1: the top of the ball than it does under the ball. 28 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:44,760 Speaker 1: The top of the ball is spinning directly into the 29 00:01:44,760 --> 00:01:47,040 Speaker 1: air and the bottom of the ball is spinning with 30 00:01:47,240 --> 00:01:50,440 Speaker 1: the air flow. The air under the ball is flowing 31 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:53,040 Speaker 1: faster than the air on top of the ball, creating 32 00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:57,200 Speaker 1: less pressure, which forces the ball to move down or curve. 33 00:01:57,760 --> 00:02:01,600 Speaker 1: This imbalance of forces called the Agnus effect, named after 34 00:02:01,720 --> 00:02:06,520 Speaker 1: physicist Gustav Magnus, who discovered in eighteen fifty two that 35 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:10,480 Speaker 1: is spinning object traveling through liquid is forced to move sideways. 36 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:14,079 Speaker 1: Adding to the air pressure exerted on the ball. Are 37 00:02:14,120 --> 00:02:17,200 Speaker 1: the hundred and eight red stitches that hold the cover 38 00:02:17,360 --> 00:02:21,440 Speaker 1: on the ball. Because they're raised, the stitches increase the 39 00:02:21,480 --> 00:02:24,560 Speaker 1: amount of friction created as the air passes around the 40 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:28,040 Speaker 1: ball and places more air pressure on top of the ball. 41 00:02:28,440 --> 00:02:31,360 Speaker 1: A well thrown curveball can move as much as seventeen 42 00:02:31,400 --> 00:02:34,800 Speaker 1: inches either way. If you've ever seen a batter jump 43 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:36,960 Speaker 1: out of the way of a baseball that ends up 44 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:42,320 Speaker 1: crossing over the plate, you've seen a great curveball. Be 45 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:45,040 Speaker 1: sure to check out our new video podcast, Stuff from 46 00:02:45,080 --> 00:02:47,920 Speaker 1: the Future. Join how Stuff Work staff as we explore 47 00:02:47,960 --> 00:02:52,840 Speaker 1: the most promising and perplexing possibilities of tomorrow the house 48 00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:55,120 Speaker 1: Stuff Works. I Find app has a ride down at 49 00:02:55,160 --> 00:02:56,600 Speaker 1: it Today on iTunes.