Summary
Badminton, defined by its speed and unique projectile known as a shuttlecock, is a fast paced sport especially popular in Asia. Unlike most sports, the shuttlecock's relatively low weight to high drag (air resistance) makes its motion very susceptible to this force. It is the deceleration due to drag that causes the badminton shuttlecock to fall in a distinctive parachute motion–a trajectory in which the fall angle is sharper than the rise angle. For this reason, this alteration in trajectory is directly related to the drag. The repeated use of these shuttlecocks in amateur settings can cause deformations, changing the drag force. This study aims to examine the magnitude and types of deformities of shuttlecocks that occur due to overuse, through the collection of shuttlecocks at a local Bay Area high school badminton team. This study will also investigate how deformities affect drag through measuring drag using a simple homemade wind tunnel and measuring terminal velocities to calculate drag coefficient. Lastly, this study will analyze how deformities could affect the game of badminton through surveys and the analysis of the previous results.