Bending it Like Beckham depends on the Magnus Effect

Submitted by Don on

An excerpt:

"The fact is that the Magnus Effect can change sign," Bush says. "People don't generally appreciate that fact." Given an absolutely smooth ball, the direction of the curve may reverse: The same kicking motion will not produce a shot or pass curving in a right-to-left direction, but in a left-to-right direction.

Why is this? Bush says it is due to the way the surface of the ball creates motion at the "boundary layer" between the spinning ball and the air. The rougher the ball, the easier it is to create the textbook version of the Magnus Effect, with a "positive" sign: The ball curves in the expected direction."

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/06/140619210631.htm

Gobgoblue

June 21st, 2014 at 9:52 PM ^

Magnus is a trusted Mgoblog poster who coaches and studies football very meticulously, yet doesn't know anything about football and hates Michigan.

LSAClassOf2000

June 21st, 2014 at 10:06 PM ^

This is the French coverage of the free kick described towards the end of the article. The curve on this thing is absolutely ridiculous, which makes it awesome from a soccer standpoint.

Magnus

June 21st, 2014 at 10:24 PM ^

The Magnus Effect is when you fart in a bar next to the hottest girl and then make a big deal about how maybe she just sharted herself.

BlueBarron

June 22nd, 2014 at 3:59 AM ^

As a Michigan aero grad, the aerodynamics of this intrigues me. But screw it, it's 4 a.m. and I'm drunk so I'll get back to it in the morning.