Diameter4.3 hundredths m
1.4 tenthsLily pad diameters
5.7 tenthsIndex finger lengths
Minimum 42.67 mm per USGA/R&A rules
Photo by Will Porada on Unsplash
Golf Ball
A dimpled sphere designed to fly farther than physics says it should/Everyday Objects
A golf ball has between 300 and 500 dimples on its surface, and those dimples are the key to its flight. A smooth golf ball would only travel about half as far because the dimples create turbulent airflow that reduces drag and increases lift. The ball must not weigh more than 45.93 grams and must have a diameter of at least 42.67 mm. The average professional drive launches the ball at over 270 km/h.
Measurements
Mass4.6 hundredths kg
91.9 millionParamecia
2.9 millionthsFire trucks
4.6 thousandthsBicycles
Maximum 45.93 g per USGA/R&A rules
Professional drive speed76 m/s
19Running chickens
76Shopping cart rolls
152Shopping carts
~274 km/h ball speed off the clubface for PGA pros
Terminal velocity32 m/s
3.3 hundredthsSR-71 Blackbirds
64Slow shopping carts
5.33Sailing boats
~115 km/h; the speed at which air drag equals gravity
Kinetic energy at drive133 J
11 trillionthsShuttle launches
31.5 millionthsTNT sticks
1.3 millionKey presses
½mv² at professional drive speed; 0.04593 kg at 76 m/s
Longest drive record472 m
2.13Hoover Dam heights
85.7Giraffes
236Cattail heights
Mike Austin, 1974 US Senior Open qualifier; 515 yards with wind aid