Vancanhawksfan
New member
- Joined
- Jan 19, 2015
- Messages
- 257
- Reaction score
- 0
Maybe somebody smarter than me can check these calculations, but it seems to me that there is a possibility that the ball pressure discrepancy could be explained if the referees originally tested the balls @ 12.5 psi in a heated locker room of 69.57 F, but were re-checked at half-time at 11 psi at a recorded outside temperature of 52 F...in other words... if the referees F'd up.
Here are my calculations...
Assumptions:
1. Let's assume that all balls tested were done pregame in the referees locker room just a little before 2hrs before gametime (4:53pm or 16:53) at 12.5 psi;
(NFL rules state that balls are turned over to teams 2 hrs 15 mins before gametime)
2. And then let's also assume all "deflated" balls were tested outside and found to be 11 psi at 7:53 pm EST (19:53)
Weather Observations January 18, 2015 - Foxboro, Massachusetts
http://www.weatherforyou.com/reports/in ... &icao=KOWD
@ 16:53
Temp in referees locker room: to be determined
Atmospheric air pressure: 29.83 in
@ 19:53
Outside temperature: 52F = 284.61K
Atmospheric air pressure: 29.68 in
Ideal Gas Law
PV = nRT
rewritten as P/T = nR/V = constant
Therefore:
P(1)/T(1) = P(2)/T(2)
(29.83 in + 11 in)/284.61K = (29.68 in + 12.5 in)/T(2)
T(2) = 295.10K = 69.57 F = possible referee locker room temperature
It seems to me that it is very realistic that the ref's locker room temperature was 70 F. Let's face it - refs aren't physics majors and they may very well not have considered that the balls would have had to be warmed to the ref's locker room temperature before being retested again.
Here are my calculations...
Assumptions:
1. Let's assume that all balls tested were done pregame in the referees locker room just a little before 2hrs before gametime (4:53pm or 16:53) at 12.5 psi;
(NFL rules state that balls are turned over to teams 2 hrs 15 mins before gametime)
2. And then let's also assume all "deflated" balls were tested outside and found to be 11 psi at 7:53 pm EST (19:53)
Weather Observations January 18, 2015 - Foxboro, Massachusetts
http://www.weatherforyou.com/reports/in ... &icao=KOWD
@ 16:53
Temp in referees locker room: to be determined
Atmospheric air pressure: 29.83 in
@ 19:53
Outside temperature: 52F = 284.61K
Atmospheric air pressure: 29.68 in
Ideal Gas Law
PV = nRT
rewritten as P/T = nR/V = constant
Therefore:
P(1)/T(1) = P(2)/T(2)
(29.83 in + 11 in)/284.61K = (29.68 in + 12.5 in)/T(2)
T(2) = 295.10K = 69.57 F = possible referee locker room temperature
It seems to me that it is very realistic that the ref's locker room temperature was 70 F. Let's face it - refs aren't physics majors and they may very well not have considered that the balls would have had to be warmed to the ref's locker room temperature before being retested again.