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Kartikey EM Case Study
Kartikey EM Case Study
1. Cricket Bats
Elasticity:
Explanation: Elasticity, in this context, refers to the
bat's ability to deform slightly upon impact with the
ball and then return to its original shape. This
deformation and recovery allow for energy transfer
from the bat to the ball, providing more power to the
shot.
Impact on Performance: A bat with higher elasticity
(such as one made of English willow) can enhance a
player's ability to hit the ball with greater force and
distance. This is because the bat can flex and release
stored energy into the ball.
Hardness:
Explanation: Hardness is the resistance of the bat's
material to deformation or wear. A harder bat resists
damage and maintains its shape over repeated
impacts.
Impact on Durability: A bat with adequate hardness can
withstand the high pressures from striking a ball
repeatedly, thus extending the bat's lifespan and
maintaining consistent performance.
2. Cricket Balls
Elasticity:
Explanation: The elasticity of a cricket ball (due to its
cork core and leather cover) allows it to deform upon
impact and regain its shape quickly. This deformation is
necessary for consistent bounce and flight behaviour.
Impact on Performance: Elasticity in a cricket ball
ensures a uniform bounce and contributes to the ball's
speed and movement (e.g., swing or spin), affecting a
player's ability to predict its trajectory and play
accordingly.
Hardness:
Explanation: The hardness of the cricket ball,
particularly in its core and leather cover, provides
structural integrity and affects how the ball interacts
with the pitch and the air.
Impact on Performance and Durability: A harder ball
maintains its shape and flight path over time, ensuring
consistent play and durability. A certain level of
hardness is required to prevent excessive deformation
and wear during play.
3. Protective Gear
Elasticity:
Explanation: Elasticity in protective gear materials (e.g.,
foam padding, soft linings) allows them to absorb and
disperse impact energy effectively.
Impact on Safety: This cushioning effect reduces the
risk of injury by softening the blow from a cricket ball
or other impact.
Hardness:
Explanation: The hardness of protective gear (e.g., hard
shells in helmets and guards) provides a barrier against
impact, protecting players from injury.
Impact on Safety and Durability: Hardness ensures that
the protective gear can resist penetration and maintain
its protective properties over time, safeguarding
players from potential harm.
Conclusion
The elasticity and hardness of materials used in cricket
equipment are critical for optimizing performance and
durability. Elastic materials allow for effective energy
transfer and shock absorption, while hard materials
provide structural integrity and resistance to damage.
Together, these properties help enhance the playing
experience and ensure the longevity and safety of
cricket equipment.
Fluid Mechanics in Ball Swing:
Unlike many other Sports balls, Cricket balls are held to
strict design specifications described in a British
standard Specification for cricket balls (1995). In terms
of general construction, the ball is made up of 2 halves,
with each half consisting of 2 quarters of leather
internally stitched and the two halves joined together
by a primary seam made up of 3 double rows of
stitching with between 78 and 86 stitches in each row.
with the seam height being between 0.5 and 0.9mm.
Governing Phenomena:
To begin to understand the motion of a cricket ball
several key phenomena must be at least qualitatively
understood. The key features are the behaviour of the
airflow and subsequent boundary layers that form
around either side of the ball. These influenced the
seam position, release velocity and impart a force on
the ball, but other less obvious phenomena such as the
Magnus effect and the effect of drag must also be
considered to fully explain the trajectory of the ball
while in the air.
Boundary Layers:
It is currently understood that the effect of angling the
raised seam so that it points at a shallow angle to the
incoming airflow causes the air to behave differently on
either side of the ball. On both sides, we get the air
separating into 2 distinct areas, a laminar flow and a
more turbulent region found between this flow and the
surface of the ball. However, the point at which the
turbulent layer separates varies on either side. On the
half of the ball which the seam points into, as the air
flow passes over the raised surface of the stitches the
flow immediately next to the ball’s surface is tripped
from a laminar flow to a thin layer of turbulent flow.
Whereas on the non-seam side, initially the air is
travelling around the relatively smooth side of the ball
and thus the flow remains laminar until the point
where it separates from the ball. By merit of it’s
increased energy the turbulent layer stays attached to
the surface of the ball for longer before separating
away from the surface. This has the result that a low-
pressure asymmetric wake is induced behind the ball
and due to this a pressure differential and thus a net
force exists perpendicular to the flow. It is this force
which causes the ball to move with an unexpected
curve in one direction or the other in the phenomena
known as swing. The formation of this turbulence layer
can be affected further if the surface of the ball is
rougher on one side than the other as this acts much in
the same way as the seam and causes the turbulent
layer to form more readily resulting in a lower pressure
on that side of the ball and thus exhibit greater
displacement.
Drag Forces:
As the ball moves through the air its velocity decreases
due to the effect of drag. This force arises due to the
pressure difference between the high pressure caused
by the flow colliding with the front of the ball and the
low pressure found in the turbulent wake that forms
behind the ball.
We can give a rough insight into the magnitude of this
force by modelling the ball as a perfect sphere and
then using the drag equation with known values.