Stick speed.
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Well, yes. Force = Mass X Velocity. If the velocity is the same, the stick with more mass will hit the CB with more force. The thing is, you can swing a lighter stick faster than a heavier one...if you try your hardest swinging an 18 oz cue and your hardest swinging a 21 oz cue, the 21 oz cue will have more resistance and won't move quite as fast...but the increased mass of the heavier cue will make up for the loss in velocity, so you'll get about the same force with either cue. Bottom line, it really doesn't make much difference, it's more individual preference and which one for you is most consistent.
Good answer but not for the question asked. The question is: "if the cue ball is going the same speed"?
Cue weight does not matter. If the cue ball has the same speed (and I assume spin too), it has the same kinetic energy regardless of the cue weight because once the CB moves, it gets detached from the cue and has the same mass when it hits the balls regardless of the cue weight. It's not a matter of cue weight but what you can do with a cue of that weight. I personally can hit CB faster with a lighter cue.
If the cue ball moves the same speed, then there is no difference. The speed's the same in your example, so it doesn't matter what you hit it with, the die is cast. Now you're talking about the mass and velocity of the CB when it hits the rack. The point I made was that the mass and velocity of the cue stick hitting the CB affects the speed of the CB when it leaves the tip...since they're both variables (14 oz and 25 oz) and your ability to move/accelerate the difference in weight, they cancel each other out (somewhat)...so there's no difference. Only your preference in which cue you can most accurately and consistently hit your break shot with.
I shoot with a McDermott Stinger J/B cue that's 18 oz...I love it, but I broke much better with heavier cue for years. The only reason I break with the McDermott is I need the jump cue and don't have room in my bag for another break stick.
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Since even a light cue weighs several times more than the CB, I don't see how the additional mass of the cue stick would positively impact the break. If the cue tip had some major compression factor (like a spring compressing) and the high mass of the cue stick would somehow aid in compressing that spring more, it could then make a difference. I guess if you were using a really soft tip and a whippy shaft, it could make some difference. However, I suspect the negative effect on accuracy would far outweigh the benefit of increased CB speed.
As it is, force really isn't a factor, velocity is the primary factor. Therefore, you would think the lighter break cue would allow the user to deliver the CB at a faster speed. A heavier break cue may aid some players as the additional weight may force them to slow down their delivery and be more accurate as a result. I doubt that many people understand how much of the force transfer to the head ball is lost by being off target by just a few millimeters. In general, you'd get more energy transfer to the rack by being accurate with a 15 mph break than being a few mm off with a 20 mph break.
As it is, force really isn't a factor, velocity is the primary factor. Therefore, you would think the lighter break cue would allow the user to deliver the CB at a faster speed. A heavier break cue may aid some players as the additional weight may force them to slow down their delivery and be more accurate as a result. I doubt that many people understand how much of the force transfer to the head ball is lost by being off target by just a few millimeters. In general, you'd get more energy transfer to the rack by being accurate with a 15 mph break than being a few mm off with a 20 mph break.
This is what I was thinking,had someone tell me other wise but I wasn't for sure.
Thanks for all the input.
The REAL questions to be asked are:
1) Who weighed the cues
2) Who measured the speed
3) What is the speed limit
4) Was anyone hurt in the process
5) Were any lawyers involved
If it has to get down to that level of science to figure out if you are breaking right then we may need Einstein to figure this out, but I'm not sure he played pool.
Speaking of Einstein, I think the majority of people know that some considered him an idiot of sorts when he was in school. When I grew up in school and you did something stupid, somebody would always say, "Way to GO, EINSTEIN!".
What did they say to the real Einstein back in the day when he screwed up?
FWIW, I think a lighter stick is easier to propel and CONTROL through the range of motions necessary to stroke the cue properly at break speed. Trying to MANHANDLE a heavier cue may give you a LOT of home runs, if and when you hit the ball properly, but a lighter cue will give you a BETTER percentage in hitting the ball properly. I use a lighter cue and hit the balls AS WELL AS OR BETTER (I think BETTER) than I ever hit them with a heavy cue. Years ago EVERYBODY thought a heavier cue was better, but today that isn't the case any more...some people will preach the merits of a lighter cue. I am one of them.
All my OLD-SCHOOL cues have been around 21 ounce and I just recently started trying newer school cues that average range about 19-19.5. The cue that I use for breaking is 19 oz. It is lighter than my 21 oz cues but not significantly lighter than my newer ones. I feel more comfortable with the 19 oz break cue than I do with my 21 oz cues when it comes to breaking. That doesn't imply that I don't like the 21 oz cues for playing...I still do..I just don't think they are the best for me breaking right now.
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When you hit a shot with a heavier cue, the CB has more oomph in it, per mile per hour of velocity. This oomph makes the pack explode.
Just kidding
Though I'm sure someone out there is thinking this.
Just kidding
Though I'm sure someone out there is thinking this.
Force = mass x acceleration. In the question asked where velocity is constant the. The cue weight will not matter. I can probably reach the same velocity with a cue ball using a pencil or a 200 pound weight and in the end the mass will not matter if velocity is equal.
What can make a difference is how fast a person can accelerate the cue ball with a given cue. While I have used break cues ranging from 15 ounces all the way up to 25 ounces I am able to reach the highest velocity with a break cue around 19 ounces. This varies greatly from person to person so the best option is to experiment with different weights and decide what is best for you.
What can make a difference is how fast a person can accelerate the cue ball with a given cue. While I have used break cues ranging from 15 ounces all the way up to 25 ounces I am able to reach the highest velocity with a break cue around 19 ounces. This varies greatly from person to person so the best option is to experiment with different weights and decide what is best for you.
Acceleration, not velocity! Thanks for the correction! I need to go back to school, I guess...
The break is about speed, timing and accuracy...not brute force. Cue weight is mostly insignificant, although what has been posted about lighter cues being easier to accelerate is true.
Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com
Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com
All that matters is CB speed (assuming everything else is the same in the comparison ... like aim, tip contact point, and cue elevation).
Now, cue weight can make a big difference for an individual, and the best weight can be different for each person. Heavier isn't always better. For more info, see the optimal cue weight resource page.
Regardless, proper break technique is much more important than cue weight.
Enjoy,
Dave