Quoted from DanQverymuch:Think of Tee Ball, it's obvious you would hit a ball farther by swinging at it than by putting the bat right up to the ball and then starting the same swing. Same principle. It's all about the impulse.
Not really. More torque in a coil than you have in your arms at rest.
Better (and pinball) analogy is a flipper. Ball goes pretty well from resting on a flipper!