Science Fair Projects on Aluminum Vs. Wooden Softball Bats

Aluminum and wooden softball bats have different uses.

Softball is a variation of baseball that uses a larger ball and is most commonly played by women and girls or by recreational leagues. In the beginnings of the game, wood bats were standard. However, aluminum bats are now more widely used. A student can compare wood and aluminum softball bats for a science fair project.

Distance

This project investigates whether the distance that a player can hit a ball is different when using an aluminum or wooden softball bat. The student can either set up a softball on a batting tee or have someone toss the ball under-handed. The tee will make a more equal test. The student should use two bats of same length and barrel size. The student should hit the ball 30 times with each bat. The distance the ball travels before hitting the ground should be measured and the average figured for each bat. This will show you which type of bat hits the ball further.

Speed

The speed at which the ball travels could vary based on the type of bat that is used. This is due to the speed of the swing by the batter, as well as the make-up of the bat used. A student can create a science fair project concerning the question of speed with different types of bats as her premise. The student will need assistance with this project. She should hit the ball off of a tee 30 times with each type of bat. Her partner should use a speed gun to track the speed of the ball each time it is hit. The numbers should be averaged for each type of bat to determine which bat hits the ball faster.

Center of Gravity

Because wooden bats are solid wood and aluminum bats are hollow, two bats that are the exact same size will weigh a different amount. Therefore, it would be understandable that a wooden bat that is the same size as an aluminum bat will take more effort to swing, possibly affecting the way the ball is hit by the same batter. However, even when both bats are the same weight, there are differences in the way a batter swings each type of bat. The student can determine which bat has the best center of gravity for a faster swing. He can compare the way he swings different bats by videotaping the swings, measuring the speed of each swing with a radar gun and by experimenting with the feel of each bat to determine which bat offers the lowest center of gravity.

Collision

The way that a ball collides with a surface affects the speed and distance that ball will travel when it is hit. A student can create a science fair project addressing the differences between how a ball collides with a wooden bat and how it collides with an aluminum bat. An aluminum bat has more give to it since it is hollow, while a wooden bat is solid with no give. The student can better see the differences by not using the bat at all. He should drop the ball onto the concrete and note that the ball does not bounce back far at all. However, if he were to drop the ball onto a tennis racket, it would bounce much higher. The same happens with a wooden versus aluminum bat. A wooden bat requires the ball to give, using much of the ball's energy and reducing the distance it will travel. With an aluminum bat instead, the bat bends and does not use as much of the ball's energy and thus, the ball travels farther.

References

• Boca Christian: Old School Vs. New School
• Science Buddies: Baseball Bat Debate: Which Is Better, Wood or Aluminum?
• University of Illinois Nuclear Physics: Wood Versus Aluminum Bats
• University of Illinois Nuclear Physics: Batting Performance of Wood and Metal Baseball Bats