Why do spinning balls go off their path? #science #facts #physics

voice over by ai
script by me

So, here's the deal. One guy gives a ball a spin and drops it from a helicopter. It starts falling, but then, whoa! It changes direction. Now, another dude drops a ball over a dam, no spin, and it just goes straight down. What gives? Well, it's all about this cool thing called the Magnus effect. It's what happens when spinning stuff, like balls or cylinders, move through fluids. As the ball picks up speed, the air pressure on the front side, where the ball's spin goes with the wind, drops. But on the other side, where the air is against the spin, the flow breaks up and forms a high-pressure zone. This pressure difference creates a force that nudges the ball towards the low-pressure side. Pretty neat, huh?

[TheFactfulBro]

credit: @veritasium, @howridiculous, @physicsgirl

Edit: I rewrote the entire thing more concisely

More information for the nerds:
The Magnus effect is a physical phenomenon that occurs when a spinning object moves through a fluid (like air or water). Imagine you're kicking a soccer ball with a spin. As the ball spins, it pushes air in one direction, and due to Newton's third law (for every action, there's an equal and opposite reaction), the air pushes back on the ball in the opposite direction.

This interaction causes a difference in air pressure on opposite sides of the ball. The side spinning against the direction of travel experiences higher air pressure, while the side spinning with the direction of travel has lower air pressure. This pressure difference creates a force perpendicular to the direction of motion, causing the ball to curve. The ball will curve towards the side with lower air pressure. This happens because the higher pressure on the opposite side pushes it towards the area of lower pressure. This curving path due to the Magnus effect is why players can make a soccer ball swerve through the air by kicking it just right.


In summary, the Magnus effect explains how spin affects the trajectory of objects moving through fluid, resulting in curved paths due to pressure differences created by the spin.


Additional information:
In 1672, **Isaac Newton**, while observing a tennis match at the University of Cambridge, noted a peculiar phenomenon. The spinning tennis balls seemed to curve during their flight, a principle we now understand as the Magnus effect.
However, it wasn't until 1852 that this phenomenon was formally studied by a German physicist named **Heinrich Gustav Magnus**.

[eviltricster]

It's basically pulling itself forward by dragging enough air around. I think

[joelex]

It's called the Magnus effect. This is why golf balls have dimples.

[emsqjhb]

Didnt know that magnus carlsen is a scientist

[bailarinmax]

Finally, now I know what Roberto Carlos did against Germany decades

[jakecarter]

It's called epic slice off the tee when I'm golfing

[richsargent]

Nevermind the prop wash from the helicopter 😂

[FluffeonWolfie]

Youre awesome!! thanks for this well detailed and informed information❤

[willpelfrey]

Thats why a knuckleball is unpredictable, no spin or very little and it will "dance". Awesome job explaining this.

[pork]

magnus had been bored playing chess and is now publishing science papers, got

[shawnrobinson]

A spinning motion creates lift try spinning it horizontal y
An object in motion tends to stay that way
For every action ther is an equal and opposite reaction
Put the three together and discover light speed
Once you have something spinning all you have to do is add a continuous pulse and you will have movement

[adamkondracki]

Same idea when hitting a golf ball..You basically hit down on it to make it go up..

[muratgok]

Britain "we need to build bomb like this"

[aidenbailey]

Think of it this way. The magnus effect is producing lift. Albeit a small amount

[nathannarvaez]

Second half of music is called sharp edges

[rokassakalauskas]

in football (soccer if ur american) it very normal players curve the ball when kicking its a technique

[slypperyfox]

Hey, wait, is thisthe same thing responsible for the flight of golf balls - their dimple pattern is what imparts spin and is responsible for approach shots backing up after hitting the green. You can also impart spin by your swing - take a downward swing to hit behind the ball and impart backspin. I’m sure the physics can’t be too far apart. Kinda like a whiffle ball.

[JacobC]

Definitely thought the first was on a bike for second

[itsnathanhere]

That's why float servers are damn great at math

[ferjimenez]

also, if it cracks, the crack won't keep going