What technology could make a cricket ball stop and hover in mid-air?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the theoretical technology required for a cricket ball to stop and hover in mid-air after being bowled. Key considerations include the use of gyroscopes and the principles of conservation of momentum, which indicate that internal mechanisms cannot sustain such a hover for more than a few milliseconds. The conversation also dismisses aerodynamics as a viable solution in calm conditions, concluding that without external forces, such as strong winds, achieving this effect with a standard cricket ball is not feasible.

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  • Understanding of gyroscopic principles and their applications.
  • Familiarity with conservation of momentum in physics.
  • Basic knowledge of aerodynamics and its effects on projectile motion.
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lufc88
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Just had a dream about someone that bowled a cricket ball (spin delivery) and after it bounced when it got to about a meter in height it just stopped dead in the air and hovered. What technology inside of the ball would be needed so that lift force was countered so that it would stop vertically and then another force against the gravitational to keep it in the air. Also is there anyway the velocity the bowler had given to the ball could just be stopped dead somehow.
Was thinking something to do with gyroscopes
 
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Conservation of momentum rules out all internal mechanisms (if you want to stop it for longer than a few milliseconds). If the ball stops and it is not windy, you also rule out aerodynamics. I don't see a way to make that happen with a regular ball in a usual setup. Strong winds in the right directions can make the ball fly in nearly arbitrary patterns.

You could equip your ball with propellers and make it a small helicopter, but I guess that's not what you want.
 
thank you for your reply
 

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