So you want to join one of those bowling competitions, but feel you still need some improvement. You already know all the skills there are in the sport of bowling, yet you are not sure if they are enough. Well, do you know the physics of bowling? If not, then you still have something to learn before joining that competition. 

The Physics of bowling involves applying such factors as the speed of ball, friction, etc. The maximum ball speed is at the point of release. As soon as the ball is released, it will begin to slow down because of the friction between the bowling ball and the bowling lane. A bowling ball will typically lose about 3 to 3 ½ miles per hour from the time it is released until the time it hits the pins. 

The amount of oil on the lane can affect the friction between the ball and lane. The greater the amount of oil on the lane, the lesser the friction, and the greater the ball speed. The kind and weight of the ball you are going to use also affect the amount of friction between the ball and the lane. These are the factors affecting the ball’s speed, according to the physics of bowling. 

Logically, if your ball’s speed at release is less than 17 mph it is considered slow, 17 to 19 mph average, and above 19 mph is considered fast. 

Friction results when a ball is thrown down the lane and slows down on its way. The scale of this force varies depending on the amount and type of oil on the lane, and the weight of the ball. 

The kinetic friction can be obtained through this equation: μk=Fk/mg. μk stands for the coefficient of kinetic friction and Fk stands for the Force due to the kinetic friction, m is the mass of the ball and g means gravity. 

The physics of bowling rests in ball speed calculation. The simple way to calculate the ball speed is to time how long it takes for your ball to travel the length of the lane. The lane measures 60 ft. or 18.3 m from the foul line to the pins. Using your stopwatch, you need to time how long it takes from ball release up to pin strike. Calculate the speed by diving the distance by time. If it took the ball 3 seconds from release to strike the pins, the speed is: 60÷3=20 ft/sec. This is just the average speed of the ball. The speed of the ball at the time of release is greatest, and the speed decreases along the way because of friction. 

To calculate how many revolutions or spins your ball got after your release do this; first you have to place a piece of white tape above your finger holes on the ball. Roll your normal throws down the lane, and then have another person watch and count how many times the tape rotates around the ball until it hits the pins. Or, if you have a video camera the calculation can be done more accurately. Record a few shots then watch your deliveries in slow motion.

These physics of bowling are important to learn, in order to excel in the sport. For sure the bowling experts have knowledge of this. Nevertheless, this physics of bowling is equally essential for amateurs or professionals, if they want to improve their performance. It might take some mathematical skills to learn this, but who cares when you want to be the best at this sport.