Why a Badminton Shuttle Slows Down
Learn how a badminton shuttle's wide skirt catches air and slows its flight, and how players use gentle hits to guide their shots.
Play the quiz as a gameBadminton is a sport played with a net and rackets. A racket is a tool with a handle and tightly stretched strings. Players use it to hit a shuttle over the net. The shuttle is the light object that flies back and forth instead of a ball.
A shuttle has a small, round tip and a wide part called a skirt. This skirt is not clothing! It is made of feathers or plastic. During most of its flight, the shuttle travels with its tip pointing forward. The wide skirt follows behind it.
As the shuttle moves, air pushes against it. Its wide skirt meets more air than its small tip does. This push against a moving object is called air resistance, or drag. Drag slows the shuttle down. Even a fast shot can lose speed quickly as it flies.
What if a player's shots keep landing beyond the court? A gentler hit can help solve this problem. The shuttle starts out more slowly, and drag slows it further. Players practice using different amounts of force, or push, when they hit. This helps them build control: the ability to send a shot where they want it to go.
A gym poster could explain this science with the heading 'A Skirt That Slows.' Below it, a picture could show air pushing against a shuttle's skirt. The caption, or words beside the picture, could read, 'The wide skirt catches air.' That small piece of sports gear has a shape that makes a big difference!