Chapter 1
Falling with style
Chapter 2
Nature's master marksmen
Chapter 3
Dancing through the cosmos
Chapter 4
The spin and the curve
YOUR GOAL
Master of The wild paths of things in flight
Ch 4 · The spin and the curve
007skaty The Magnus Effect
Spin it fast to drag the wind, and the low pressure curves the path.
007skaty Quarterbacks throw spiral passes to align the ball's tip with its trajectory, minimizing air resistance and preventing drag
007skaty A curved line traces the impossible trajectory of Roberto Carlos's soccer kick.
BETA
007skaty Flick the spinning disc to discover how wind and gravity curve its trajectory.
Fun Fact
Frisbee physics: The world record for the longest throwing toy trajectory is an Aerobie disc throw of 406 meters.
Glossary
magnus effect (noun)
A physical phenomenon in which a spinning object moving through a fluid experiences a sideways force that deflects its path. Heinrich Gustav Magnus first analyzed this force in 1853 to explain why spinning projectiles curve in flight.
A physical phenomenon in which a spinning object moving through a fluid experiences a sideways force that deflects its path. Heinrich Gustav Magnus first analyzed this force in 1853 to explain why spinning projectiles curve in flight.
Quiz
What is the scientific name for the phenomenon where a spinning ball curves in flight?
Quiz
What famous soccer player scored an 'impossible' curving free kick against France in 1997?