Physics of the tennis racket: The SWEET SPOT"

OBICCTIYE
T o discuss the different definitions ofsweel spo
T o detemine various methods to locate the points corresponding to each one.

MPORTANT TERMS
1. SWEET SPOT

It is the point or region of a tennis racket where the bal should be hit for optimum results

ie., best results. It is based on different physical phenomenon.

2. CO-EFFICIENT OF RESTITUTION
It is defined as "the ratio of the rebound speed to the incident speed of the ball for orthogonal

impact

3. POWER POINT

The point where the COR is maximum is called the power point

4. POWER REGION
The region on the tennis racket where the coefficient of restitution (COR) is above some
arbitrary value is called power region.

5. NODE

The point where, when the ball hits, the resulting higher frequency vibrations or oscillations

are a minimum is called node

6. NODAL REGION
The region around the node where the vibration is below some arbitrary value will be
designated as the nodal region
It is the Yeqpn on ihe
It is fhe
centen of
Tacket face Whene
Pen us 8ion a point (pan
c

Co-9ffcient oF reshtutdon
of Conjugate point) for riqe
B above anbitnany Value
body and Jocation of poin
ohen he racket handlle is
found by USing rac keT
frml Clamped. as physical pendulum and
measwing its peiod

SWEET SPOT

IF 15 a point uohene
It is the point uhere Ihe
an anea
oF he rackel
ball hits, the resutng wh ene it
highen frequenty vibration feels gpod
ohen you ht the ball.
0sllalions a1e a minumum
POWER REGION
There is usually one area on the stringed portion of the face of a racket where the
cocfticient of restitution (COR) is a maximum.

DETERMINATION OFCOB
I t is determined experimentally by having a tennis ball strike the racket at various
places and measure the ratio of rebound velocity to incident velocity with the
racket handle fimly clamped.

I t is determined by dropping ll on the sace of the racket and measure the ratio
of rebound hcight hr to drop height ha

CHARACHIERSTICS OF COR IN TENNIS RACKETI

COR tends to maximize along the longitudinal axis of the racket and peaks fairly
close to the throat not near the center of the head.

Any energy that goes into the racket's de- formation is lost since the ball has left
the strings by the time the racket springs back

The higher the string tension lhe more the ball deforms upon impact hence the
nore energy the ball dissipates. Therefore, to increase the COR, more energy
should be absorbed by the strings (lower tension) and less energy go into racket
de- formation (stiffer frame).

WAYS TO INCREASECOR OFRACKET

When the head ofa racket is enlarged by extending it toward the handle
(without increasing the overall racket length) a region of higher COR is
produced compared lo a racket of standard head size wilh the same lexibility.
To make use of this region of higher COR in actual play, the ball must be hit
closer to the handle of the racket. This will lead to a higher ball velocity if the
racket motion is translational and all points on the head have about the same
velocity. If the racket is rotating (such as in a serve where it is whipped or
snapped), the higher COR region, being closer to the cffective axis of rotation, is
moving with a lower velocity than the region near the racket tip.

I n order to increase COR is to make the frame itself stiffer by increasing its
cross-sectional area or by going to a new material.
 FUNCTION OF POSITIONJs
CALCULATING DEFLECTIDN Y AS A

T
T T2

dpplying Knaun force F

dingle Stanq of lengtk L
Tension (T)
The 1esJor1nq jorce

F= TSin9, +Ta Sine 2

If T= Ta =T Sine = tane

F Ty

Ty

TyL
4
 F(4Ty)(t+ 4 z,
L2

Fon he detledion y, the force will be minimum at he

head centen

The sting at he centen of head ane e

Nongest one at the nack eand neduced Jo

4T
L

t ceten of head Z=0 ; 420

L

So, twi picduce maximum o cOR in fhe anter

OF head if Jhe frame is
Tigid
 DERNATION OF REBOUND VELOCITY OF A TENNIS BALL

If hits
fnee nackef along
a
the dong axis, 0sAuning Jhe

Tacke frame is a nigd body

M Rackef masS
m Ball mass
-Jnudent ball velouly
1etunn Ball velouly
V
=Tackef veloutu befone Collisio n
V= Tacket veJots
aften ollison
V = Velocty of point of Contact on naket befone Colision.

b distanee fnom Impact pointJo nockt cM

nackef anguan velocts aylen col|isión
= nak angulan velouty before Collision
I = nacks moment of Iny Ha abol axis

COR Measuned c-efficient of nestihulion for ball

on Atings, obtained using nacke head
clamped
e-Ball veloay JiaioV(out)/v¢n) ]fn free acke
at nekt
 consenvallion oF Jinean momerTum
Oy
UtMV= m v' +MV'

By Consenvafion of ongulan momenTum

mb + Tw =
mu'b t1W'
trom de fniJion of Co-cffitentof YesJrtuJion
COR (U- V-wb) == v'- V-w'b )
soving these thuee qualion by 'by Eliminating
and w' ives

' = V lmbb + Im/y -

ICOR )+(vt wbt I COR)

mbb t I +Im/M
Sovang v+ wb is Re
vebuls of Jmpad point before
Ihe Collision V= vtwb
= V (mbbt Im/ -ICOR (v")(I+IcOR)
mbb t I +
Im/M
 To elate he ndio of rebound veloüls Jo Inudent

Velodtu for faee Jiacke at est, V =0

e = ' =mbb+Im/M-ICOR
mbbrI + Jm/M
 A third way to inercasc a rackct's COR is to usc strings at reduccd tension.

NODE

I f the handle end of the racket is fimly clamped, and the racket is struck, it
will oscillate.

T h e fundamental mode of vibration has no nodes and a frequency of 2540

Hzde- pending upon the mass, mass distribution, and stifiness of the racket.

.The next higher mode of oscillation has a single node and, if the racket were
a uniform beam of length I, the frequency would be six times higher than
the fundamental and it would have a node a distance 1/3 from the tip.

I f the racket is a free uniform beam of length L (no clamping) its

fundamental frequency would also be about six times the clamped
Lundamental and it would have two nodes of /5 from each end.

DETERMINATION OFoSCILLATION OF RACKET

T o measure the oscillations ofa racket with the handle clamped, a method was
developed to delemine the position of the tip of the racket as a function of time.
When the ball struck at the location of the node of the higher mode of
oscillation, the tip executed a pure simple harmonic motion at the (clamped-
free) fundamental frequency as the location of the ball impact moved away
from the node, an increase in amplitude of the higher frequency becomes

apparent.

Theshift in the position of the node was also detemined for a single racket when
a small mass was taped to the tip. 10 g moved the node approximately 2 cm.

CONCLUSION

It is assumcd that if the ideal tennis racket could be designed, it would have all
three points located at the center of the stringed area and have a power region
and nodal region covering most of the face of the racket.