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journal article·2025-04-01Open access

Using physics simulations to find targeting strategies in competitive tenpin bowling

S. S. M. Ji, S. Yang, W. Dominguez, C. G. Hooper, C. S. Bester

AIP Advances· Volume 15· Issue 4
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Source abstract

Abstract

A new approach to finding the ideal location for a bowler to target on a bowling lane is demonstrated. To model bowling ball behavior, a system of six coupled differential equations is derived using Euler’s equations for a rotating rigid body. The numerical solution to the equations of motion shows the path of the ball on the lane, demonstrates the phases of ball motion, and is ultimately used to output a plot that displays the optimal initial conditions for the shot trajectory that leads to a strike for a typical competitive bowler. When the bowler is modeled to be imperfect and some variance is included into the shot trajectory, it is shown that some targeting strategies lead to higher strike rates due to the “miss room” created from the inhomogeneity of the friction surface that results from the oil pattern.
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Research context

OpenAlex topics: Sports Dynamics and Biomechanics · Experimental and Theoretical Physics Studies · Mechanics and Biomechanics Studies

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University 1 , Princeton, New Jersey 08544,

Department of Nuclear Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2 , Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139,

Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of New Mexico 3 , Albuquerque, New Mexico 87106,

Sports Technology Institute, Wolfson School of Mechanical, Electrical, and Manufacturing Engineering, Loughborough University 4 , Leicestershire,

Department of Physics and Astronomy, Swarthmore College 5 , Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 19081,

References (10)

Show source-provided references
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