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How to Bend a Ball
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The
"Bend"
of a soccer ball is explained by the physical principles of the
Magnus Effect and Deflection.
Similar to Bernoulli's Principle on airfoils, the
Magnus
Effect
happens when
the air a ball
is traveling through follows a
longer path around one side of the ball than the other. This is due to
the
spin attributed to the ball from being struck by a player's foot. The
air following the longer path is moving faster than the air on the
other side causing a drop in air pressure on
that side of the ball. The ball will then be pushed toward the
low-pressure
side, causing Deflection.
Just like an airplane leaves behind a wake of turbulence in flight, so
does a soccer ball. The spin of a soccer ball causes the air to deflect
to one side (depending on spin). The air in turn, pushes back on the
ball, which puts the forces of the Magnus Effect and Deflection in the
same direction, giving us the "bend" of a soccer ball.