MC+SF

__ **What Bat is Best?** __
 * **Problem-** Does the weight and length of a composite bat affect the distance it sends a softball if used to bunt?
 * ** Hypothesis **- If a softball's distance is affected by the weight and length of the bat it is bunted with then, the longer and heavier the bat is the farther the ball will go.
 * Procedure: **
 * 1) Set up a pitching machine 43 feet away from home plate.
 * 2) Turn it on and set the speed.
 * 3) Mark two lines on the ground with tape so the bat can be held at the same place every time. ( one going vertical  for the butt of the bat and one going horizontal in line with the bat)
 * 4) Hold the bat about 31 inches above the ground.
 * 5) Pitch the balls through the machine.
 * 6) Hold the bat firmly and do not let the bat be pushed back when the ball is hit.
 * 7) Let the ball hit the bat.
 * 8) After the ball stops measure the distance between the ball and the horizontal tape line.
 * 9) Record this number.
 * 10) Repeat steps 3-9 with each type of bat 15 times.
 * Materials- Pitching machine, bats, helmet, tape measure, pitching machine balls, a person to work the pitching machine, a person to bunt the ball
 * Data Tables:

32" L x 22 Oz. || Pitched Ball Speed (mph) || Distance Ball Traveled (inches) || Pitched Ball Speed (mph) || Distance Ball Traveled (inches) ||
 * Type of Bat |||| Trial #1 |||| Trial #2 ||
 * Easton Stealth
 * 1. || 43 || 94.5 || 43 || 197 ||
 * 2. || 43 || 182 || 43 || 365 ||
 * 3. || 43 || 411 || 43 || 269 ||
 * 4. || 43 || 47.5 || 43 || 467.5 ||
 * 5. || 43 || 83 || 43 || 242 ||
 * 6. || 43 || 467.5 || 43 || 310.5 ||
 * 7. || 43 || 356 || 43 || 288 ||
 * 8. || 43 || 332 || 43 || 62.75 ||
 * 9. || 43 || 160 || 43 || 252 ||
 * 10. || 43 || 180.5 || 43 || 185 ||
 * 11. || 43 || 467.5 || 43 || 171.5 ||
 * 12. || 43 || 467.5 || 43 || 235.5 ||
 * 13. || 43 || 408 || 43 || 161.5 ||
 * 14. || 43 || 288 || 43 || 401.5 ||
 * 15. || 43 || 76 || 43 || 213 ||

31" L x 22 Oz. || Pitched Ball Speed (mph) || Distance Ball Traveled (in.) || Pitched Ball Speed (mph) || Distance Ball Traveled (in.) ||
 * Easton Stealth
 * 1 || 43 || 256.5 || 43 || 467.5 ||
 * 2 || 43 || 467.5 || 43 || 44.5 ||
 * 3 || 43 || 237.5 || 43 || 108 ||
 * 4 || 43 || 257 || 43 || 467.5 ||
 * 5 || 43 || 236 || 43 || 401 ||
 * 6 || 43 || 209 || 43 || 417 ||
 * 7 || 43 || 467.5 || 43 || 95.5 ||
 * 8 || 43 || 355 || 43 || 467.5 ||
 * 9 || 43 || 172.5 || 43 || 467.5 ||
 * 10 || 43 || 169 || 43 || 299 ||
 * 11 || 43 || 172 || 43 || 464 ||
 * 12 || 43 || 360 || 43 || 467.5 ||
 * 13 || 43 || 467.5 || 43 || 71 ||
 * 14 || 43 || 467.5 || 43 || 329 ||
 * 15 || 43 || 377.5 || 43 || 467.5 ||


 * Louisville Slugger Xeno 33" x 23 oz || Pitched Ball Speed (mph) || Distance Ball Traveled (in.) || Pitched Ball Speed (mph) || Distance Ball Traveled (in.) ||
 * 1 || 43 || 467.5 || 43 || 385 ||
 * 2 || 43 || 221.5 || 43 || 467.5 ||
 * 3 || 43 || 134 || 43 || 467.5 ||
 * 4 || 43 || 467.5 || 43 || 205 ||
 * 5 || 43 || 191 || 43 || 467.5 ||
 * 6 || 43 || 420 || 43 || 75 ||
 * 7 || 43 || 101 || 43 || 467.5 ||
 * 8 || 43 || 398 || 43 || 360 ||
 * 9 || 43 || 455 || 43 || 218 ||
 * 10 || 43 || 467.5 || 43 || 467.5 ||
 * 11 || 43 || 256 || 43 || 467.5 ||
 * 12 || 43 || 132.5 || 43 || 332 ||
 * 13 || 43 || 200.5 || 43 || 467.5 ||
 * 14 || 43 || 86.5 || 43 || 358 ||
 * 15 || 43 || 467.5 || 43 || 95 ||


 * Type of Bat || Trial #1 ||  || Trial #2 ||   ||
 * Easton Synergy 31" x 19.5oz. || Pitched Ball Speed (mph) || Distance Ball Traveled (in.) || Pitched Ball Speed (mph) || Distance Ball Traveled (in.) ||
 * 1 || 43 || 302.75 || 43 || 267 ||
 * 2 || 43 || 356 || 43 || 91 ||
 * 3 || 43 || 467.5 || 43 || 441 ||
 * 4 || 43 || 455 || 43 || 397 ||
 * 5 || 43 || 196.5 || 43 || 270 ||
 * 6 || 43 || 279 || 43 || 246 ||
 * 7 || 43 || 467.5 || 43 || 153 ||
 * 8 || 43 || 180.5 || 43 || 343 ||
 * 9 || 43 || 158 || 43 || 122 ||
 * 10 || 43 || 416 || 43 || 152.75 ||
 * 11 || 43 || 270 || 43 || 371.5 ||
 * 12 || 43 || 189 || 43 || 179 ||
 * 13 || 43 || 75.5 || 43 || 234 ||
 * 14 || 43 || 467.5 || 43 || 405.5 ||
 * 15 || 43 || 467.5 || 43 || 422 ||

11/22/11 Did both trials with the Easton Stealth 32" and the first trial of the Easton Stealth 31." During the experiments we had to stop at a certain distance because the ground conditions were bad and we had to go indoors so the ball could only go so far without hitting a wall. Also during tests we ran into some problems because the pitching machine doesn't always pitch it the same way every time (pitches at different heights).

12/14/11 Did both trials with Xeno 33" and the second trial of the Easton Stealth 31."

1/2/12 Did both trials with Easton Synergy 31."

Bats were first used in the game of baseball and then the sport of softball was created. Softball bats are usually shorter than baseball bats and usually weigh less. There are many different sizes and weights of bats that are made by many different companies, so how can people tell what kind to get. During this experiment different softball bats will be tested to see if the length and weight of a bat affects how far it sends a ball. The hypothesis is that the heavier and longer a bat is the farther it will send a ball. To test this hypothesis each bat will be held at about 31 inches off the ground and used to bunt a ball, at the same position every time. The bunt is not like a typical bunt though, because with a typical bunt the batter brings the bat back to help absorb the speed and not send it too far. In the trials the bat will be held firmly so that the ball goes as far as it can. Once "bunted" the ball's distance is recorded so it can be compared to the distances of the balls "bunted" by the other bats. These tests will show whether or not the length and weight of a bat affects the distance it sends a ball.
 * Experimental Background: **

**Abstract:** In this experiment, multiple bats were tested to see which one would send a softball the farthest. All of the bats used were composite bats and all of them were different sizes and weights. During the tests softballs were bunted by lining the bat up with lines and just letting the ball hit the bat. Then, the distance the ball travelled was measured and recorded. At the end of the tests the results showed that the Xeno sent the ball the farthest because its average for the second trial was the highest and the total average was the highest. This proves that the hypothesis was correct because the Xeno was the longest and heaviest bat. Knowing the result of the experiment would be beneficial because it might help a player buy the right bat. The test could also be continued by testing more bats with different weights and lengths. To conclude, the test shows that the longer and heavier a bat is the farther it will send a softball.

**Discussion:** The results of the experiments showed that the Xeno sent the ball the farthest. As shown in the graphs the Xeno had the highest average distance in one trial and had the highest total average distance. Since the Xeno was the longest and the heaviest bat, it proves that the hypothesis was correct. Yet, the hypothesis is also proven wrong by the experiment because the Easton Stealth 31" and the Easton Synergy 31" had higher averages than the Easton Stealth 32" which was longer than both, heavier than the Easton Synergy 31", and the same weight as the Easton Stealth 31." Plus, the Easton Stealth 31"had a total average that was a little over two inches less than the Xeno's total average and both of its trial averages were in the 300s, where the Xeno only had one trial average in the 300s, as shown in the graph. Although the results of these trials concluded that the Xeno sent the ball the furthest, there could be differences because there might have been some errors. One source of error could be the way the ball comes off the bat. Pitching machines cannot pitch a ball the same way every time, so the difference in the angle in which the ball hits the bat can affect the distance the ball goes. Another source of error could be the position of a bat when the ball was bunted. Since the bat was held by a person, the bat could have been held at different positions, like one end of the bat lower than the other. The first source of error cannot really be solved, but the second source of error could be solved by having a device to hold the bat in the same postition every time. Plus, only four bats were tested, so if more were tested there could be different results. Although there could have been some sources of error, the results of the trials showed that the bat that sent the ball the farthest, as shown in the graphs, was the Xeno, meaning it is the best bat and proving that the hypothesis was correct.

The problem trying to be solved for this experiment was whether or not the weight and lenght of a bat affects the distance a ball is sent. The hypothesis was that the heavier and longer the bat was the farther a ball would go. The final results of the experiment were that the weight and length of a bat do not affect the distance a ball travels. The trials showed that the heaviest and longest bat sent the ball the furthest, but the next longest and heaviest sent the ball the shortest distance, meaning that the length and weight of the bat does not affect how far it sends the ball. To conclude, the anwser to the problem is no, the weight and length of a bat does not affect how far it sends a ball.
 * Conclusion: **

This experiment could have real life application. Bats are expensive and some kinds have bad quality. The results of this test if more bats were tested could tell which bat has the best quality for its cost. It could also help people when choosing what kind of bat to buy because people do not want to buy a bat that is not going to give the best results. Plus, if companies would test their bats they could promote the bat that sends the ball the farthest so that they could earn more profits. That is how this test could be applied to real life.
 * Application: **