BASKETBALL
The claim quesiton I chose was in MOTION on section 1.33 about Basketball Shots.
OVERVIEW
"Basketball is, of course, a game of both skill and chance. Is theer some best way in which to throw the ball to increase the probability of making a basket? For example,
is it better to toss the ball in a high arc or to throw it along a flatter trajectory? When might spin be beneficial, and when is it undesirable?
In a free throw (where a player gets an uncontested shot at the basket from about 4.3 meters), a player might employ the overhand push shot, in which the ball is pushed away from above
the shoulder height and then released. Instead, the player might use an underhand loop shot, in which the ball is brought upward from about the belt-line level and released. The first technique
is the overwhelming choice among professional players, but the legendary Rick Barry set the record for free-throw shooting with the underhand technique. Does one technique actually provide a better chance
at making shot?
ANSWER
Have you ever wondered how to get that perfect “swish” sound when you are shooting a basketball? To some it comes easy and to others it is quite difficult. Not many think of physics when they are shooting or of anything for that fact, they are just focused on the ball going into the basket. Many shots are missed because they are either too short or too long, which is depicted by that arc a basketball follows. What is the arc? An arc is a parabolic path that and object, or in this instance, a basketball follows from when it is released from the shooters hand till it hits the basket. Once it is released the only outside force on it is gravity (Noah). The most optimal arc in general is a 45 degree angle (Washington Post). This will give you the farthest distance. When shooting a basketball there are a few different arcs possible for scoring. One is the obvious of a 90 degree angle. This is where the ball falls directly from above the basket. A regulation hoop is 18 inches along with a regulation men’s basketball being 9.5 inches and 9.2 inches for a women’s, giving about 4.25 inches of space all around the ball at a 90 degree angle (Washington Post). Then again, this is entirely impossible unless the individual is dunking the ball. In comparison a very large degree represents a short shot and a very low degree equals a long shot. The ideal degree range for the most possible shots is between 43 degrees and 53 degrees. This gives the shooter some margin of error. If the individual shoots it too flat, lower arc, the shot will be too long, if the individual shoots it too high, high arc, the ball will fall short. There are other factors that play into this also such as speed and height. A term, jump shot, is very commonly heard of. The reason many like a jump shot is because height decreases the distance to the basket and raises arch so in turn less effort is needed to give the perfect arc. With more force it could throw off an individuals’ shot by forcing it. A lot of times when a ball is forces the arc is lower and ends up being a miss. Another thing that could affect a shot is backspin. Many players use backspin incase their shot is too long on the backboard. If backspin is placed on a basketball, the ball would hit the back of the rim forcing it downward into the basket. There is also a proper way to shoot the basketball, meaning there are certain steps taken I order for the perfect shot. First is to have your eyes on the target, second is to gain a perfect stance, third is to balance, fourth is to shoot, and fifth is the follow through (Breakthrough Basketball). First and foremost, if you don’t have your eyes on the basket or where you want your shot to go through, you can guarantee that it is not going to go where you want it to. Second, having the perfect stance aims for better accuracy and a better shot. Being “lined up” or “square” to the basket is what the individual should aim for. Thirdly, the individual needs to be balanced. If they aren’t balanced this could throw their shot off tremendously and throw off that perfect arc that everyone is aiming for. Fourth, is the obvious, shoot the ball! Being relaxed and letting roll of your fingers is the most important part of this. Being tense doesn’t help with trying to gain that arc. And lastly, follow through with your shot. This way, if your shot was off you can easily get the rebound and if not, well you were there in case. These are just a few of the important things that affect an individuals shot and there are many more factors that play into making the perfect shot but the number one that affects it the most is arc. So next time you want to hear that beautiful swish sound, think of the physics and go with somewhere in between 43 degrees and 53 degrees.
Sources
http://www.noahbasketball.com/working/makemoreshots.pdf
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/15/AR2010031502017.html
http://www.breakthroughbasketball.com/fundamentals/shooting-technique.html
Book Answer
"From any position on the court, there is a wide range of angles at which you can launch the ball to send it through the basket, provided that you give the ball the proper speed. However, the fact that the ball is smaller in diameter than the basket allows a certain margin of error in the launch speed. If you choose a low angle, the margin for error is small and you must be quite accuarate. You also must give the ball a large speed, which requires more force from you and which works against accuracy. If, instead, you choose an intermediate angle, the margin for error in the speed is larger, and the speed and force are smaller. So, you have a better chance at making the shot. For even larger angles, the margin for error is approximately the same, but the required speed and necessary force are larger, which makes larger angles less desirable.
Novice players usually shoot the ball along too flat a trajectory, but seasoned players learn through practice to arc the ball into the basket. The higher the shot is released, the slower the required launch must be, which gives an advantage to a tall player. The height advantage is so strong that some players elect to release the ball during a jump even when unchallenged by an opponent. If you put backspin on the ball and happen to hit the backboard instead of the basket, the spin creates friction that may cause the ball to rebound into the basket. When the shot is taken from one side, sidespin on the ball may also help.
The Underhand free throw has a greater chance of success than the overhand throw, but the reasons are still debated. The success might be because the underhand throw is easier to execute, but a greater advantage seems to lie in the fact that the throw allows the player to put more backspin on the ball, which can make up for an errant toss onto the backboard."