Friction on Flat Surfaces: Case of a Cricket Ball

Friction is essential to all ball sports, but is more obviously important if the ball is rolling on a surface. Which ball sports require a ball to roll on a surface as a critical component of the sport? Name as many sports as possible.

Consider the following graph, excerpted from the book series Bounce, Roll, & Fly: The Science of Balls from Schottenbauer Publishing:

Discussion Questions:

1. What is the initial velocity of the ball?
2. What is the final velocity of the ball?
3. What is the initial momentum of the ball?
4. What is the final momentum of the ball?
5. What is the initial kinetic energy of the ball?
6. What is the final kinetic energy of the ball?
7. How far does the ball travel?
8. Given the same initial velocity, would this ball travel further on a gym floor? On grass?

Lab manuals from Schottenbauer Publishing can supplement traditional curricula in math, physical science, physics, and physical education. They can also be integrated into summer camp and other summer academic enrichment activities, from approximately age 10 and onward. Ideas for lesson plans can be found in the blog Graphs in Education. 

Book series related to ball sports from Schottenbauer Publishing include: 

Graphs & Data for Science Lab: Multi-Volume Series

• Bounce, Roll, & Fly! The Science of Ball Sports
• The Science of Hockey (Field, Street, & Ice)
• The Science of Baseball
• Golf Science

Anthologies of 28 Graphs

• The Science of Ball Sports
• The Science of Summer Olympic Sports 
• The World in a Graph

Books by M. Schottenbauer, Ph.D. are available in both English and German from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million, Powell's, and other internet retailers. Wholesale is available directly from CreateSpace online.


Additional Information

Schottenbauer Publishing

Free Education Resources

The Art & Science of Baseball

As the summer arrives, the warm weather beckons children outdoors. In-between ball games and sporting events, do they have time to learn about the math and science of sports? Lab manuals from Schottenbauer Publishing make it easier than ever to learn about sport science.

For instance, consider the new series The Science of Baseball. The following graphs teach children about several aspects of baseball science. What can be learned from each graph?

Additional Information

Schottenbauer Publishing

Free Education Resources