Re: Aiming Theory Questions

"dalecue" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message

> OK, so now I am impressed - would you care to share that paper
> if you don't want to post it<or a link>, you can email me off board

> have you seen Ron's 'Amature Physics for the Amature Pool Player'
> http://www.tcbilliards.com/articles/physics.html
> 
> Dale
> 

I have looked at Ron's paper, and my paper would look like a fumbling
attempt at physics compared to his in depth analysis.  We also took a
much more exprimental approach then Ron.  This was around 1994 I
think.

Walyand Marlow has also published an excellent book on the physics of
Billiards.

I was an undergrad when we (me and one other person) did it. We
basically took a bunch of careful measurements and tried to explain
them.  We built a pendulum like contraption with a pool cue attached
at one end to allow us to precisely repeat measurements, and had
fitted the table with a few dozen lasers to get precise position and
velocity measurements as the balls travelled, as well as a high speed
camera.  We had the lasers shining across the table into laser diodes
hooked up to a digital oscilliscope.  As the ball cut through the
beams, we could get pretty good instantaneous velocity measurements by
watching the voltage signature of the diode drop, as well as the
timing until the ball hit the next laser.

Funniest part of the whole thing was showing up at the local pool hall
with this crazy gear.  The owner wasnt crazy about the situation, so I
called a bunch of table manufacturers, and sure enough, Brunswick
agreed to send a high-end table to the physics department and set it
up, all free of charge. Very cool company.

Anyway, we did make some interesting measurements geared around
investigating the transition from sliding to rolling friction, as well
as looking into any velocity dependence of sliding friction.

We also did the standard investigation into things like energy loss on
the bands, optimum band hight, spin transfer, throw, ... yada yada
yada.

All that being said, I can't seem to find the paper anywhere.  I think
it may have been lost when my last hard drive went belly up, but I'll
see if I can find a copy for you somewhere.

-Shem