| Revision as of 19:08, 6 September 2004 editGuanabot (talk | contribs)32,249 editsm Guanaco - robot: changing Windows-1252 characters to HTML entities← Previous edit | Revision as of 12:53, 12 September 2004 edit undo81.168.80.170 (talk) complete makeover. aerodynamicsNext edit → | ||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| ] | ] | ||
| A '''shuttlecock''' is a projectile used in the sport of ]. |
A '''shuttlecock''' is a high-drag ] used in the sport of ]. It has an open conical shape, with a rounded head at the apex of the cone traditionally made of ] and a skirt traditionally of overlapping ] ]s. | ||
| For most casual players, |
For most casual players, the cork-and-feather construction has been replaced by the use of a ] (usually ]) or ] head and a plastic (usually nylon) skirt. The feather shuttlecock is still used by serious players and for competitions. The feathered variety is more expensive and far more likely to break during a match, and also has to be hit about three times as hard. | ||
| The shuttlecock is also called a birdie, bird, or shuttle. The shuttle part of |
The shuttlecock is also called a "birdie", "bird", or "shuttle". The "shuttle" part of the name was probably derived from its back-and-forth motion during the game, resembling the shuttle of a ], and the "cock" from the feathers of the traditional shuttlecock, referring to a bird's crest. | ||
| The shuttlecock's shape makes it extremely ]ally stable. Regardless of initial orientation, it will turn to fly head first, and remain in the head-first orientation. The feathers provide a lot of drag (less so in a plastic construction). It is this consistent high-drag behaviour that makes badminton distinctive. | |||
| The shuttlecock's aerodynamic behaviour was consciously replicated in the design of the ] ]. Its "feathered" flight mode is a very stable high-drag configuration, used to make the flight insensitive to orientation during ]. | |||
Revision as of 12:53, 12 September 2004
A shuttlecock is a high-drag projectile used in the sport of badminton. It has an open conical shape, with a rounded head at the apex of the cone traditionally made of cork and a skirt traditionally of overlapping goose feathers.
For most casual players, the cork-and-feather construction has been replaced by the use of a plastic (usually nylon) or rubber head and a plastic (usually nylon) skirt. The feather shuttlecock is still used by serious players and for competitions. The feathered variety is more expensive and far more likely to break during a match, and also has to be hit about three times as hard.
The shuttlecock is also called a "birdie", "bird", or "shuttle". The "shuttle" part of the name was probably derived from its back-and-forth motion during the game, resembling the shuttle of a loom, and the "cock" from the feathers of the traditional shuttlecock, referring to a bird's crest.
The shuttlecock's shape makes it extremely aerodynamically stable. Regardless of initial orientation, it will turn to fly head first, and remain in the head-first orientation. The feathers provide a lot of drag (less so in a plastic construction). It is this consistent high-drag behaviour that makes badminton distinctive.
The shuttlecock's aerodynamic behaviour was consciously replicated in the design of the spacecraft SpaceShipOne. Its "feathered" flight mode is a very stable high-drag configuration, used to make the flight insensitive to orientation during atmospheric reentry.