Researchers at Yamagata University in Japan are using finite-element analysis to simulate how people kick footballs. This illustration shows the deformation on a leg and ball, ranging from pink (the lowest) through blue, green and yellow to red (the highest). These studies have confirmed what most footballers know. If you kick the ball slightly off-centre …
When the airflow over a ball is turbulent, the boundary layer sticks to the ball almost until the air has completely passed over the ball. This produces late separation and a small drag. First published in Physics World magazine, June 1998 pp25–27. https://physicsworld.com/a/the-physics-of-football/
The drag coefficient of a ball plotted against Reynold’s number – a non-dimensional parameter that takes into account both the velocity and diameter of the ball. The drag coefficient drops suddenly when the airflow at the surface of the sphere changes from laminar to turbulent. The position of the discontinuity depends on the roughness of …
A bird’s-eye view of a football spinning about an axis perpendicular to the flow of air across it. The air travels faster relative to the center of the ball where the periphery of the ball is moving in the same direction as the airflow (left). This reduces the pressure, according to Bernoulli’s principle. The pressure …
Questions about Pressure and Soccer Balls How does the amount of air in a soccer ball affect how far it travels when struck by the same force? The amount of air or air pressure in a soccer ball effects how far the ball will travel when struck by the same force. The higher air pressure that …
MSC.Patran Used By Researchers to Model Complex Physics of Soccer Free Kicks SANTA ANA, Calif. — May 31, 2001 — MSC.Software Corp. (NYSE: MNS), the leading global provider of simulation software, services and systems, today announced that MSC.Patran was used by researchers to help solve the mystery of ‘trick’ or ‘bending’ free kicks in soccer. Through the collaboration …
Physics FAQ Physics 2 Spinning Ball Ball Drag Turbulent Air Drag vs. Speed How To Curve A Football The Physics of Football Article Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about the Physics of Soccer Balls Beckham Goal The following article was first published in Physics World magazine, June 1998 pp25–27. The Physics of Football Bill Shankly, the former manager of Liverpool football club, once said: …
