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Kaede Titus

Mrs. Stevens

Life Science

21 February 2020

Which Type of Volleyball Can Be Set the Highest?

Did you know that 46 million people play volleyball each week in the United States

(Volleyball Facts)? That’s a lot of people! And have you ever wondered how high the ball goes

each time someone sets it? Well I have! ​I thought that if three different types of volleyballs;

beach, indoor, and lightweight are set, then the lightweight volleyball will be set the highest.

How Does Air Pressure Affect a Ball?

The more air pumped into the ball, the more the air has to compress to fit inside the ball.

When there is more air in the ball, it pushes on the inside of the ball. This is air pressure. When

the ball hits the ground, the compressed air on the inside condenses even more. The air is then at

a higher pressure and wants to go back to a lower pressure, like a spring. The air on the inside

pushes back with a certain amount of force that causes the ball to bounce back up, or be able to

be hit or served farther. The more air pressure in the ball, the less floppy and deformed it

becomes when it bounces. Less air in the ball causes it to hit the ground and not bounce back up

(Do).

What is the Difference Between an Indoor, Beach, and Lightweight Volleyball?

Each type of volleyball has a different weight, circumference and inside pressure. Beach

volleyballs have a larger circumference, usually 66-68 cm, and less air pressure, 0.175-0.225

kg/cm^2, making it softer. Also, beach volleyballs have a weight of 260-280 grams, the same as
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an indoor volleyball. However, indoor volleyballs are smaller, 65-67 cm, and are harder, with an

inside pressure of 0.30-0.325 kg/cm^2 (The). Lightweight volleyballs are lighter and smaller

than both beach and indoor volleyballs. The circumference of a lightweight volleyball is 63-65

cm, the weight is about 200 grams, and the inside pressure is 0.302 kg/cm^2 (Popelka).

How Are Different Types of Volleyballs Made and Does It Affect the Performance?

All volleyballs are made up of two layers, the outer shell and the core. The outer shell

could be made of either leather or synthetic leather panels, anywhere from 8 to 18 of them. On an

indoor volleyball, the panels are glued to the inner lining (Popelka) and molded together to give

the seams a smooth appearance and make it more consistent. The panels are usually made of

leather to stand up to the constant hitting and serving of the ball (Differences). On a beach

volleyball however, the panels are stitched to the inner lining (Popelka), making the ball more

durable because they are exposed to the elements. Beach volleyball panels are usually made of

composite materials to make the ball waterproof (Differences). The core, or bladder, of any

volleyball is usually made of rubber to make the ball lighter and easier to work with. Lower

quality materials make lower quality, less durable volleyballs (Popelka).

How Does the Setter’s Stance and Hand Positioning Affect the Set?

When a setter receives the ball on their forehead, they have a more balanced position.

Also, receiving the ball in the middle of your stance keeps the ball on course. If one hand pushed

more one way, then the ball will drift that way. If your arms are already too extended when you

set, setting farther will become more of a challenge. To get a good, high set, your weight needs

to shift from the back foot to the front foot (Forman). If the ball touches your palm, then it can

lose its momentum, so fingertips need to be spread apart over the forehead. When your setting
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arms extend, then your body follows (Volleyball Setting).

How Does Jumping Help a Set Go Higher?

Jump setting speeds up the time it takes to hit the ball. It also gets the ball to the best

hitters in a certain situation. It also puts the ball in a better position for the hitter if done right.

The jump should not be too big, because jumping too high can take the energy out of the set.

You need to make up for the loss of leg push by using your hands and arms more. Jump setting

can also improve the setter’s hand release to direct the ball to where it needs to go (Sonnichsen).

How Does the Type of Pass Affect the Set?

A good pass is important so the setter can get a good set and the hitter can get a good hit.

To control the pass, don’t swing your arms and face where you want the ball to go. If it is above

your head, you can overhand pass, but both forearm and overhand passing need to be done in a

controlled manner so that the ball can get to the setter. If your passes are too high or too low,

then adjust your platform or angle of your arms (Volleyball Pass). When setting, your hand have

to be above your head. To do this though, The setter must move to the ball quickly. If the ball is

farther away, it is harder to get to, leading to a bad set (Lacroix).

Conclusion

I thought that if three different types of volleyballs; beach, indoor, and lightweight are

set, then the lightweight volleyball will be set the highest, and I found out that the indoor

​ he average height in meters that

volleyball was actually the ball that could be set the highest. T

the indoor ball was set was 4.84, 4.80 for the lightweight volleyball, and 4.67 for the beach

volleyball. The beach volleyball was set the lowest, most likely because it was the heaviest.

Being the lightest ball, it would make sense for the lightweight volleyball to have gone the
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highest. But instead, the indoor volleyball went the highest, possibly because it was larger and

easier to hold and set for some people.

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Works Cited

“Differences Between Indoor and Outdoor Volleyballs.” ​Real Volleyball,​ Real Volleyball, 29

July 2014,

www.realvolleyball.com/blog/differences-between-indoor-and-outdoor-volleyballs/​.

“Do Basketballs That Are Fully Inflated Bounce Better than Flatter Ones?” ​UCSB Science Line,​

The Regents of the University of California, 2017,

scienceline.ucsb.edu/getkey.php?key=3939.

Forman, John. “Volleyball Setter Training: Hand Position.” ​Coaching Volleyball​, 25 Sept. 2018,

coachingvb.com/setter-training-hand-position/.

Lacroix, Jeff. “How to Set a Volleyball: A Beginner's Guide.” ​Better At Volleyball​, 6 July 2019,

betteratvolleyball.com/how-to-set-a-volleyball-a-beginners-guide/.

Popelka, Jiri. “Volleyball Ball: Everything You Need To Know About Volleyball Balls.”

VolleyCountry​, VolleyCountry.com, 2004,

volleycountry.com/training/volleyball-ball-everything-need-know-volleyball-balls.

Sonnichsen , Matt. “Jump Setting and College Volleyball Recruiting.” ​Jump Setting and College

Volleyball Recruiting,​ Blogger, 24 Sept. 2012,

www.collegevolleyballcoach.com/2012/09/jump-setting-and-college-volleyball.html?m=

1.

“The Difference Between Beach and Indoor Volleyball.” ​Pakmen Volleyball​, Pakmen Volleyball
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Club, 18 Apr. 2019,

www.pakmen.com/the-difference-between-beach-and-indoor-volleyball/​.

“Volleyball Facts.” ​Math,​ 2005, www.softschools.com/facts/sports/volleyball_facts/2742/.

“Volleyball Pass, Basics of Passing.” ​Strength and Power Volleyball​,

Strength-and-Power-for-Volleyball.com,

www.strength-and-power-for-volleyball.com/volleyball-pass.html.

“Volleyball Setting.” ​Myosource Kinetic Bands​, 2019, myosource.com/volleyball-setting/.