The physics of badminton
Wednesday, June 17, 2015 - 08:20
in Astronomy & Space
(Phys.org)—When it comes to flying projectiles, the badminton shuttlecock or "birdie" is unusual in that it flips on impact with a racket so that it always flies cork-first. This flipping motion arises from the fact that, unlike almost all other sports projectiles, the shuttlecock has a conical shape and, because the cork is much denser than the feathers, a non-homogeneous mass.