Trying to Catch a 1,000 MPH Baseball - Smarter Every Day 247

SmarterEveryDay
12 Nov 202017:55
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRIn this exhilarating episode of 'Smarter Every Day,' Destin and his team explore the extreme forces at play when a baseball is launched faster than the speed of sound using a custom-built cannon. They document the baseball's impact on various targets, including a boxing dummy named Bob and different types of baseball gloves, discovering that the supersonic ball rips through glove after glove, even causing a fire upon impact due to the intense friction. The video also addresses the current bicycle shortage and promotes Guardian Bikes, a sponsor offering safe, high-quality bikes for kids with a special discount for viewers.

Takeaways
  • 🚀 Destin and his team built the world's first supersonic baseball cannon capable of shooting a baseball faster than the speed of sound.
  • 📷 They used high-speed cameras and schlieren imagery to visually capture the Mach cone and the supersonic speed of the baseball.
  • 💪 A significant part of the project involved overcoming mechanical challenges, including repairing and reinforcing the cannon's structure after initial breakage.
  • 🏐 The experiments included testing the impact of a supersonic baseball on different targets, including a boxing dummy named Bob, to understand the kinetic energy transfer.
  • 🕹️ The team explored the effectiveness of baseball gloves in catching a supersonic baseball, comparing different weave patterns and their ability to absorb the ball's energy.
  • 🚨 They discovered that the sheer force of the baseball could rip through gloves and even generate fire upon impact with leather, indicating intense kinetic energy release.
  • 🧐 An I-beam setup was used to systematically test the impact of the supersonic baseball on a series of gloves, revealing the limitations of conventional baseball gloves against such speeds.
  • 🚲 Destin highlighted a global bicycle shortage and introduced Guardian Bikes as a sponsor, emphasizing their safe and kid-friendly bicycles equipped with SureStop technology to prevent accidents.
  • 🚴 Guardian Bikes' initiative was presented as a solution to the bicycle shortage, offering direct-to-consumer sales and promoting outdoor activity among children away from screens.
  • 💡 Destin's narrative combines science education with practical safety advice, encouraging learning and physical activity while showcasing innovative experiments and solutions to real-world problems.
Q & A

  • What was the main achievement in the previous episode of 'Smarter Every Day'?

    -The main achievement was building a baseball cannon capable of shooting a baseball faster than the speed of sound, reaching Mach 1.35.

  • What special camera technique was used to capture the baseball?

    -A high-speed camera setup was used to capture schlieren imagery, which visualizes the pressure wave, or Mach cone, in front of the baseball.

  • What was the purpose of the 'strongback' in the experiment?

    -The 'strongback' was a support structure to withstand the forces generated by the supersonic baseball cannon, preventing it from flexing and breaking apart.

  • What type of gloves were considered for catching a supersonic baseball?

    -Two main types of gloves were considered: a basket weave glove and an H weave glove.

  • What was the outcome when a supersonic baseball hit the boxing target, Bob?

    -The baseball ripped the cover off Bob and caused significant deformation, but it did not completely penetrate him.

  • What was observed when the baseball hit the catcher's mitt?

    -The baseball went straight through the catcher's mitt without slowing down, and the impact caused the glove to rip.

  • What safety feature did Guardian Bikes incorporate into their design?

    -Guardian Bikes incorporated a special technology called SureStop, which prevents the bike from flipping over the handlebars by using the force of the rotating rear wheel to pinch the front brake caliper.

  • How did the team test the effectiveness of the gloves against a supersonic baseball?

    -They stacked multiple gloves and fired the baseball through them to see how many gloves it could penetrate before being stopped or significantly slowed down.

  • What was the surprising observation when the baseball hit the H-weave glove?

    -A surprising observation was that the impact created fire due to the friction between the leather of the glove and the baseball.

  • What was the final outcome when firing a supersonic baseball through nine stacked gloves?

    -The baseball went through all nine gloves without deflecting or stopping, demonstrating the immense kinetic energy it carried.

  • What advice does Destin give for purchasing a bike for a child during the shortage?

    -Destin suggests visiting GuardianBikes.com/smarter to purchase a bike directly and take advantage of a special offer for 'Smarter Every Day' viewers, which includes $20 off any accessory and a money-back guarantee.

Outlines
00:00
🚀 Building and Testing the Supersonic Baseball Cannon

In this segment, Destin and his team at 'Smarter Every Day' recount their journey in creating a baseball cannon capable of firing a ball faster than the speed of sound. They successfully built and tested the cannon, capturing high-speed schlieren imagery of a baseball producing a Mach cone. They also conducted a stick test to verify the supersonic speed of 1.35 Mach. The team then discusses the immense kinetic energy of the baseball and its destructive potential, setting the stage for further experiments with the cannon.

05:09
🧤 Exploring the Feasibility of Catching a Supersonic Baseball

The team discusses the types of baseball gloves and the technique for catching a ball, emphasizing the importance of getting behind the ball. They conduct an experiment to see if a boxing target, 'Bob', can withstand a supersonic baseball. The ball rips through Bob, showcasing its power. They then test if a catcher's mitt can slow down or stop the ball, only to find that the ball easily penetrates the glove without losing speed. The segment ends with the team preparing to test the ball's impact on multiple gloves.

10:10
🔥 The Dramatic Results of Supersonic Baseball Impacts

The team continues their experiments by firing a supersonic baseball at an H-weave glove and a basket weave glove, observing the different outcomes. The H-weave glove deflects the ball, while the basket weave glove rips upon impact, with the ball passing through it. In a surprising turn of events, the impact between the leather ball and the basket weave glove creates fire, demonstrating the immense energy released during the collision. The team then challenges the supersonic baseball to penetrate a stack of nine gloves, which it does, leading to a discussion on the difficulty of safely catching such a fast-moving object.

15:10
🚲 Guardian Bikes: Promoting Safe Cycling for Kids

Destin shifts focus from the high-energy experiments to discuss a current issue of bicycle shortages, particularly for children. He introduces Guardian Bikes as a sponsor that offers bikes designed with kids' safety in mind. The bikes come mostly assembled and feature a single braking handle and a lower center of gravity for stability. Destin's children share their experiences with the bikes, highlighting the ease of learning to ride and the effectiveness of the bike's safety features. The segment concludes with a promotional offer for Guardian Bikes and an encouragement for kids to engage in outdoor activities.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡Supersonic Baseball Cannon
A device featured in the video that is capable of launching a baseball at a speed faster than the speed of sound. It is a central focus of the video, as the creators designed, built, and tested it to fulfill the dream of the host, Destin. The cannon's performance is verified through a series of tests, including a stick test and high-speed camera imagery capturing a Mach cone, which demonstrates the immense kinetic energy involved.
💡Mach Cone
A visible shock wave pattern that forms around an object traveling at supersonic speeds. In the context of the video, the high-speed camera captures the Mach cone in front of the baseball, indicating that it is traveling faster than the speed of sound. This phenomenon is a visual confirmation of the baseball's supersonic velocity and the pressure wave it creates.
💡Kinetic Energy
The energy an object possesses due to its motion. In the video, the concept of kinetic energy is discussed in relation to the baseball shot from the supersonic cannon, emphasizing the immense force and potential for damage due to the ball's high speed. The host, Destin, expresses amazement at the kinetic energy of the baseball when it hits a steel backdrop.
💡Basket Weave and H Weave Gloves
Two main types of baseball gloves mentioned in the video, differing in their weave patterns. The basket weave and H weave gloves are discussed in the context of catching a supersonic baseball, with the host, Destin, exploring which type might be more effective at absorbing the ball's impact and slowing it down.
💡Inertial Forces
The forces that resist changes in an object's motion, as described by Newton's first law of motion. In the video, inertial forces are discussed in the context of the supersonic baseball's impact on the glove and the potential for the glove to rip apart due to the sudden deceleration required to stop the ball.
💡Bob the Boxing Target
A punching bag used in the video to simulate the impact of a supersonic baseball. 'Bob' is used as a test subject to see if the baseball can penetrate it, which provides insight into the potential damage such a ball could cause to a human body if hit.
💡I-Beam and Forklift
An I-beam is a structural element composed of an I-shaped steel beam used for construction and support. In the video, an I-beam is used to mount baseball gloves in a consistent manner for testing. A forklift is a powered industrial vehicle used to lift and move heavy objects. It is used to stabilize the high-speed camera during the testing of the supersonic baseball cannon.
💡Guardian Bikes
A company that manufactures bicycles specifically for children, mentioned in the video as a sponsor. The bikes are designed with safety features and are promoted as a solution to the bicycle shortage, offering the possibility of direct delivery to consumers' homes.
💡SureStop Technology
A safety feature incorporated into Guardian Bikes that prevents the bike from flipping over the handlebars when the rear brake is applied. This technology enhances the stability and safety of the bikes for children, reducing the risk of accidents.
💡Kinetic Energy Release
The release of energy due to the motion of an object. In the video, this concept is demonstrated when a supersonic baseball hits a glove, causing the leather to fly off and even creating fire due to the intense impact. This illustrates the significant amount of kinetic energy that can be released during a collision at high speeds.
💡Bicycle Shortage
A situation where there is a limited supply of bicycles available for purchase, as mentioned in the video. This shortage has made it difficult for consumers to buy bicycles, particularly for children, leading to a significant discussion on the topic and the introduction of Guardian Bikes as a solution.
Highlights

Building a baseball cannon capable of shooting a baseball faster than the speed of sound.

Using a high-speed camera setup to capture schlieren imagery of a baseball with a Mach cone.

Conducting a stick test to verify the baseball's supersonic speed, reaching Mach 1.35.

Observing the immense kinetic energy of a supersonic baseball upon impact with a steel backdrop.

Testing the supersonic baseball cannon on a boxing target, resulting in the ball ripping the cover off and deforming.

Exploring the feasibility of catching a supersonic baseball with different types of gloves.

Demonstrating that a supersonic baseball can penetrate through a boxing target, leaving it 'dead' and leaking.

The surprising discovery that a supersonic baseball can pass through a thick catcher's mitt without significantly slowing down.

Experimenting with the force distribution on a boxing target when a baseball is caught with different types of gloves.

A supersonic baseball tearing through multiple layers of gloves, showcasing the challenge of stopping such a fast-moving object.

The unexpected observation of fire upon the impact of leather against leather at supersonic speeds.

The innovative use of a forklift to stabilize a high-speed camera during the supersonic baseball impact.

The successful capture of a supersonic baseball passing through nine gloves, defying initial predictions.

The practical application of the experiment's findings in the context of safety and the potential for future technological developments.

The humorous and engaging presentation style of the host, Destin, in explaining complex phenomena in a relatable way.

The educational value of the video, as it combines entertainment with scientific exploration and discovery.

The sponsorship by Guardian Bikes and the discussion on the current bicycle shortage, providing a solution for families.

The promotion of physical activity and outdoor play for children, emphasizing the importance of cycling for kids' health and development.

The detailed explanation of the safety features of Guardian Bikes, including the SureStop technology and the lower center of gravity design.

The offer of a $20 discount on any accessory from Guardian Bikes for viewers of 'Smarter Every Day', supporting the show and promoting safe cycling.

Transcripts

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SupersonicBaseballPhysicsExperimentHighSpeedCameraKineticEnergyGloveTestEngineeringChallengeScienceEducationInnovativeTechnologySportsPhysicsMachCone