A pitch thrown by Carl Mays of the Yankees struck Cleveland shortstop Ray Chapma

Question

A pitch thrown by Carl Mays of the Yankees struck Cleveland shortstop Ray Chapman in the head on August 16, 1920. Chapman from the resulting head trauma 12 hours later and remains the only Major League Baseball player to have died from injuries suffered during a MLB game. This lead to rule changes eliminating spit balls, dirtying balls, and umpires removing and replacing dirty balls when needed during games to reduce erratic ball trajectories. However, batting helmets did not become part of MLB play until 30 years later.

a) Calculate an estimate of the energy imparted to a batter struck by a pitch from a Major League pitcher.

b) Compare your estimate of the impact energy of a baseball pitch (proven lethality) with that you estimated as the upper limit of impact for a penny dropped from the Empire State Building. Comment, and if needed refine your conclusion of potential lethality of a dropped penny.

Explanation / Answer

a )

the mass of the base ball M = 145 gm = 0.145 kg

velocity V = 44.7 m/sec

KE = 1/2 M V2

KE = 0.5 X 0.145 X 44.72

KE = 144.86 J

b )

weight of penny is m = 2.5 gm = 0.0025 kg

V = 44.7 m/sec

KE = 1/2 m V2

KE = 0.5 X 0.0025 X 44.72

KE = 2.497 J

so energy of the penny is mere 2 % of energy of a baseball

so a dopped penny can hurt.

no potential enrgy

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