A Controversial Study of the Aerodynamics of a Baseball

Projectile motion under idealized conditions has been well understood for centuries. However, once aerodynamic forces (drag and lift) are introduced, the motion becomes significantly more difficult to analyze and predict. This paper compares two aerodynamic models on the flight of a baseball — the first by Robert Adair and the second by Greg Sawicki, Mont Hubbards, and William Stronge. Applied to the distance traveled by a baseball, the two models predict substantially different results. The results of the models were further examined through interactive computer simulations using Working Model and Autolev.