The fun part is if you put a really large amount of spin on it, the slight imbalance in the ball caused by the laces can let you curve the path the ball follows. For a right-handed person the ball will curve to the right, and the opposite for a left-handed person. Also, that increased spin will make the ball almost dive downward at the end, it doesn't follow the 'perfect arch' as shown in the diagrams. Source- I used to curve footballs around trees when people didn't believe me. it works even easier with Nerf footballs, I think the digging in of your fingers to the ball lets you really put the rotation on it. Even more interesting is a really tight spiral doesn't fly as well as one that's just a ~little~ bit wobbly. That explanation is one I'd like to see.
lol. I just commented something similar. I totally used to whip a football over LBs heads with a wicked dip/curve. it was nasty but my elbow aches to this day from making those types of throws. (and yes, the nerf ones were even nastier on the curve.)
(former QB here) I used to be able to throw a wicked pass where it would start low dip JUST over the Linebacker's heads and into my WR running a post. It was some nasty physics at the expense of my elbow. It wasn't an all the time throw but in the moment it made defenders look SILLY. Thanks for explaining some of the science behind it. Although I was a football player for 15 years, I was a science and math nerd first and foremost. Always enjoy the content!
This is an interesting thought, because without the air, it would probably keep the "angle" but without air resistance on the spinning ball, it might just tumble, flip, or yaw uncontrollably, right?
The important force acting on the top here is not gravity, but the *normal force* of the table pushing up on it. That normal force acts very much like the air pressure pushing back on the football.
They could have gotten anyone else in an office full of people to throw a ball, but the writer decided he wanted more camera time to show off his lack of athleticism.
I thought it is about angular momentum. The spin generates an angular momentum vector pointing parallel to its direction of motion. (Parallel because depending on the direction of the spin, it is either forward- or backward- pointing.) In the absence of a net external force, it would want to maintain that angular momentum direction. Since gravity is pulling it downwards, there is a net external torque that changes the angular momentum direction. That's all. In the case of the top, gravity generates no torque if the top is spinning exactly vertically. When the top tends to fall off, I guess (I am being a bit hand-wavy here... so this is questionable) that gravity generates a net torque in the opposite direction the fall, hence correcting the fall and balancing it. I think this is analogous to why a moving bicycle would not fall off and balances itself.
Gravity isn't "the secondary force" in the free-fall; it's irrelevant. You can imagine a gyroscope on the space station: it wouldn't wobble, but it would still be pulled down by gravity. The table pushing up on the top was the actual source of the reference axis in the first case, so when falling through the air, the ball only feels the air pushing on it. This stuck out to me because the force of gravity is definitely much stronger than the force of the air resistance, so it can't be "secondary" in terms of strength. What's crucial is that the air resistance is pushing in different ways on different parts of the ball, while gravity pulls on all parts of the ball in the same way. Thus the air resistance is able to create a torque, a force that's off-center of the rotation of the ball.
*A frisbee explanation would be cool!* The football turning from air resistance force, so that the path is colinear with it seems pretty obvious. For an alternative explanation: the rotational axis (found from Right Hand Rule) of the object wants to *balance* forces so it aligns with the acting force axis i.e. *Stability*
Saying that the ball 'wants' to do x y and z is the least helpful explanation. This video did not actually explain anything but just claimed laws that the ball 'wants' to follow
The spin is doing only one thing, stabilizing the longitudinal axis. Aka minimizing the angular momentum of the longitudinal axis. A spear thrown has the exact same. Trajectory. Because it is launched at or near the center of mass, the anguar momentum of the longitudinal axis is not changed. The tip of the ball and the spear then follows a parabolic motion. Drag has no part in changing the flight profile. Since lift is minimal.
So I learned a bonus fact. I wondered how this could be explained about javelin throws or bow & arrow shots. Apparently those also spin through the air after looking up slo-mo vids of them.
Before I watch the video I'm going to guess it is does its axial momentum due to its spin and due to fluid mechanical effects of the air towards the ball.
Those throws literally hurt my soul. You have to use your legs to throw a football and shoot a basketball, that’s the number 1 thing I see from ppl who don’t play sports, your legs and your base matter. If you’ve never heard the term athletic stance, you want to have your legs slightly wider than your shoulders with your knees slightly bent.
Exactly a throw is about full body mechanics not just the arm but how the feet are set, the distance between the feet, how fluid the motion is, the hips, etc etc. So much goes into it.
My hunch is “no,” for a couple of reasons. First, a sphere is symmetrical in every axis, so you really wouldn’t be able to track it in the same way. Just looking at it, you’d never know it was spinning. Since there is no irregularity to the shape of the sphere, there wouldn’t be a direction at which the incoming air pressure would align it. Any direction you spun it would be independent of the trajectory.
This video is interesting! (Though of course ideally the instances of the phrase “gravity pulling down” could be replaced with gravity pulling in! Towards the Earth’s center of mass!) (Though of course, then ideally one might say that gravity doesn’t precisely “Pull” because it is not necessarily a force, and could be better described as the bending of space-time, so maybe you could say that the bending of space time, due to earths mass, sets a given object on a course towards the center of the earth’s mass…) (though in my opinion, sometimes simplification can be useful, as long as it’s acknowledged as simplification) Overall, thought-provoking! At least to me!
The ironic part about this is that the kids that paid attention in gym class but failed physics would know how to throw a football and not need to ever watch this video.
I think I disagree.... The top does not not align its rotational axis with the gravity vector. The top tries to maintain the the axis that it was spun around. If you spin it around a horizontal axis, it would try to maintain that axis. Think the classic bike tire in the classroom, or a gyroscope (several examples here). I would propose the solution would have to be in drag. (I know air flow direction is mentioned here). as the air flow vector changes, I would suspect that you get a moment on the ball that causes the rotation axis to rotate and "try to realign" with the air vector. (a game of cat and mouse if you will). Essentially this is a stable system (ball rotating on axis) with a constantly changing input (changing air flow).
@Pronto I appreciate your reply. I would argue that once the motion is developed (1-2 meters) that the air flow relative to the ball is constant. I know that sounds weird, but the air doesn't care if the ball is going away from ground or toward it.
the most horrifying sentence a physics undergraduate will hear: today we stop assuming no air resistance
also why do you call it football when its clearly a handegg
no more spherical cows. now it's prolate spherical cows
The fun part is if you put a really large amount of spin on it, the slight imbalance in the ball caused by the laces can let you curve the path the ball follows. For a right-handed person the ball will curve to the right, and the opposite for a left-handed person. Also, that increased spin will make the ball almost dive downward at the end, it doesn't follow the 'perfect arch' as shown in the diagrams.
Source- I used to curve footballs around trees when people didn't believe me.
it works even easier with Nerf footballs, I think the digging in of your fingers to the ball lets you really put the rotation on it.
Even more interesting is a really tight spiral doesn't fly as well as one that's just a ~little~ bit wobbly. That explanation is one I'd like to see.
lol. I just commented something similar. I totally used to whip a football over LBs heads with a wicked dip/curve. it was nasty but my elbow aches to this day from making those types of throws. (and yes, the nerf ones were even nastier on the curve.)
Fun part: 1:01-1:02 XD
That is why players throw sidearm to get around defenders.
This was a bonus question on my physics final back when I was completing my master's!
Welp…Did you pass the question or nah?…🤔😂😂👍🏿
I hope you answered it correctly.
"It's simple enough for anyone...that's interested and paying attention...to understand"
This guy teaches students.
Average college teacher
Whoever that physicist is he is literally the epitome of every old man professor I’ve had.
He's not a good one imo
(former QB here)
I used to be able to throw a wicked pass where it would start low dip JUST over the Linebacker's heads and into my WR running a post. It was some nasty physics at the expense of my elbow. It wasn't an all the time throw but in the moment it made defenders look SILLY.
Thanks for explaining some of the science behind it. Although I was a football player for 15 years, I was a science and math nerd first and foremost. Always enjoy the content!
Liar
^^^I found Uncle Rico on RUclips!
@@southparklion not too far off. I never said I could still do that. 3 shoulder separations took a toll on the abilities.
"Everything is simple once it's explained." So true!
Still the best documentary channel on YT.
that still does not make it football
My man was throwing the ball like the actors in all American
I’m about to say. Like, bro had to SEARCH how to throw a spiral… cmon man.
If this holds true, then throwing in a vacuum would mean it would more or less hold it's initial angle
Artemis missions are in planning, so pitch this idea to NASA and get it tested.
Honestly shocked vacuums weren't even mentioned in this video, that seems like the obvious next step to testing the claim!
@@justayoutuber1906 ya now time to acquire a whole auditorium vaccum chamber for this "test", bigger than what nasa uses for their testing
@@TeKaMOTO And think how far you could throw the thing on the moon!
This is an interesting thought, because without the air, it would probably keep the "angle" but without air resistance on the spinning ball, it might just tumble, flip, or yaw uncontrollably, right?
Vox found yet another topic I never knew I would find interesting
0:35 POV: You're taking a walk down the park and you're seeing a man being recorded throwing random groceries into the air
Most of the world tuned in expecting to see someone explain that Benjamim Pavard pass
I was disappointed. It's handegg
or Pele, or Maradona, or Messi
@@shitmypants5275 hand me the egg
In Quebec, caught between american and european cultural sensibilities, we're so lost about what "football" is that we just play hockey.
Soccer is a sport for Women and children. No self respecting man would want to play a non contact sport.
The important force acting on the top here is not gravity, but the *normal force* of the table pushing up on it. That normal force acts very much like the air pressure pushing back on the football.
It physically hurts me to watch this man try to throw a football.
I clicked on the video thinking it’s football.. like the one played with the foot
[soccer]⚽
Did the thumbnail not tip you off?
@@pyrotechnic96 I came to the video from the mobile notification
@@MrMustangMan hand egg
Man never threw an object in his life. That was hard to watch.
They could have gotten anyone else in an office full of people to throw a ball, but the writer decided he wanted more camera time to show off his lack of athleticism.
I thought it is about angular momentum. The spin generates an angular momentum vector pointing parallel to its direction of motion. (Parallel because depending on the direction of the spin, it is either forward- or backward- pointing.)
In the absence of a net external force, it would want to maintain that angular momentum direction. Since gravity is pulling it downwards, there is a net external torque that changes the angular momentum direction.
That's all.
In the case of the top, gravity generates no torque if the top is spinning exactly vertically. When the top tends to fall off, I guess (I am being a bit hand-wavy here... so this is questionable) that gravity generates a net torque in the opposite direction the fall, hence correcting the fall and balancing it. I think this is analogous to why a moving bicycle would not fall off and balances itself.
These videos are so informative! This is exactly the type of information that I didn't know I wanted until I saw it 🥰❤️ Thanks Vox.
Watching this person throw things causes me physical pain.
football is round...thats a rubgy ball...
Knowledge I never knew I needed until 30secs into the video
I like his ‘Light is a wave’ sign in the background!
;)
this video is the perfect exemplification that you either live or understand life, not both at the same time.
Do one of these on disc golf please
Interesting to see a football video without bashing the topic.
hence why there are more shells and fewer cannonballs to be used as explosive projectiles.
Gravity isn't "the secondary force" in the free-fall; it's irrelevant. You can imagine a gyroscope on the space station: it wouldn't wobble, but it would still be pulled down by gravity. The table pushing up on the top was the actual source of the reference axis in the first case, so when falling through the air, the ball only feels the air pushing on it.
This stuck out to me because the force of gravity is definitely much stronger than the force of the air resistance, so it can't be "secondary" in terms of strength. What's crucial is that the air resistance is pushing in different ways on different parts of the ball, while gravity pulls on all parts of the ball in the same way. Thus the air resistance is able to create a torque, a force that's off-center of the rotation of the ball.
*A frisbee explanation would be cool!* The football turning from air resistance force, so that the path is colinear with it seems pretty obvious. For an alternative explanation: the rotational axis (found from Right Hand Rule) of the object wants to *balance* forces so it aligns with the acting force axis i.e. *Stability*
bullets and artillery/howitzer/tank/canon/etc. shells do the exact same thing. those have been around longer than footballs
"It follows the trajectory gravity laid out for it" 🤣
Saying that the ball 'wants' to do x y and z is the least helpful explanation. This video did not actually explain anything but just claimed laws that the ball 'wants' to follow
Edward, why didn’t you mention anything about the laces on the ball?
That's a really incomprehensible explanation.
1:07 the guys last name tho 😂😂😂
Great video and excellent reporting!
🏈 is not Football ⚽ is.
That is not football. That is Handegg
wth...i was sitting around thinking about this the other day. I know google listens to my conversations, but this was only in my head!
It's the same with the Torpedo Punt in Australian Football.
It is the same with a bullet so I don’t really understand why this would be that special
and....... no link to the paper in the description..
Didn't gunsmiths solve this problem when moving from spherical projectiles to bullets and rifled barrels?
yes
They didn't explain why it worked, they just knew it did
So is the amount of spin the difference between a javelin landing head first and sticking to the field and a sliding belly landing?
Yes, in fact I read that javelins were redesigned in the 1980s to spin more easily and prevent so many of those belly landings.
Timothy what
wouldnt this be the same case for field artillery
The spin is doing only one thing, stabilizing the longitudinal axis. Aka minimizing the angular momentum of the longitudinal axis. A spear thrown has the exact same. Trajectory. Because it is launched at or near the center of mass, the anguar momentum of the longitudinal axis is not changed. The tip of the ball and the spear then follows a parabolic motion. Drag has no part in changing the flight profile. Since lift is minimal.
Lesson 3: Believe in the spin, Johnny!
How much change would a baseball take if it were slightly more oblong than being 'perfectly' round?
it's the way the ball is engineered
That is not a ball. That’s a hand egg
So I learned a bonus fact. I wondered how this could be explained about javelin throws or bow & arrow shots. Apparently those also spin through the air after looking up slo-mo vids of them.
Arrows also have fletching, which plays a much bigger role I would assume
Darts do the same thing. If you throw a dart without any spin, it'll just bounce off the board.
No link to the paper in the description?
I threw a football for the first time in my life a few weeks ago and this exact question came to mind.
Rule #3. Never trust a man who wears a bow tie outside a wedding
This reminded me of Veritasium videos. Good job, Vox!
Is that guy happy he took 20 years to publish?
yep
I feel like this is so self explanatory
I want to give ' THANKS' to you guys but the option's not showing....
Before I watch the video I'm going to guess it is does its axial momentum due to its spin and due to fluid mechanical effects of the air towards the ball.
"What's a spiral?" - Fran Tarkenton
You mean, Sir Francis of Tarkenton.
@@damienkearns3654 You betcha!
Peyton Manning too.
Didn’t understand it. Now I’m more confused. 😂
The angle of least resistance to the air.
Someone: "Why does the ball stay facing the air direction?"
Vox: "Because it wants to"
Wow great explanation 👏👏👏
I assume these are the same forces at play with a rifled bullet or artillery shell.
How does Vox even come up with these questions
Does the same physics apply to a javelin's/arrow's path through the air?
I did some googling and found out that in the case of arrows and javelin the weighted front end causes the dip.
Frankly, most of classic physics problems can be understood by considering the conservation laws.
josh allen does not arc he just emits lasers
Those throws literally hurt my soul. You have to use your legs to throw a football and shoot a basketball, that’s the number 1 thing I see from ppl who don’t play sports, your legs and your base matter. If you’ve never heard the term athletic stance, you want to have your legs slightly wider than your shoulders with your knees slightly bent.
same with tennis, golf, baseball
Yeah, really should have had someone who knows how to throw a spiral demonstrating as well.
Exactly a throw is about full body mechanics not just the arm but how the feet are set, the distance between the feet, how fluid the motion is, the hips, etc etc. So much goes into it.
I thought the video was about football 🙂
Well, throwing a banana in a tight spiral did not get me on the team...but...I did save some money recently on car insurance.
Magnus effect.
“Light is a particle”
Someone isn’t accepting light’s duality
very very interesting ..thanks for sharing
Every who gets interested in science gets interested because of this type of teacher/professor
Anything that happens in the real world that science can’t explain shows you that we don’t know enough about physics.
Vox [American]: Why this football pass seems physically impossible?
Rest of the World: It's because this is NOT football
Gridiron Football. Better?
@@curiouscommand5916 Yes, anything, but football
The video is intended for Americans, and in the US everyone knows what "football" means.
@@phillyphilly2095 * not everyone
Football is supposed to be played by Foot ,not hand 😂
Why did this take 20yrs? It's basically the same physics as an artillery shell.
untouched grass science
No one's gonna say anything about Timothy's last name
Now do cricket ball deliveries - inswingers and outswingera
Are you going to eat those cookies?
Um, now that you've tossed your cookies, maybe I'll pass..... (grin)
Until I see Tom Brady try to throw a football on the Moon, I'm not convinced.
Does the same thing happen with spheres? Like a basketball?
My hunch is “no,” for a couple of reasons. First, a sphere is symmetrical in every axis, so you really wouldn’t be able to track it in the same way. Just looking at it, you’d never know it was spinning.
Since there is no irregularity to the shape of the sphere, there wouldn’t be a direction at which the incoming air pressure would align it. Any direction you spun it would be independent of the trajectory.
Honestly didn’t see as many comments on that dudes last name
Javelins do that as well
This video is interesting!
(Though of course ideally the instances of the phrase “gravity pulling down” could be replaced with gravity pulling in! Towards the Earth’s center of mass!)
(Though of course, then ideally one might say that gravity doesn’t precisely “Pull” because it is not necessarily a force, and could be better described as the bending of space-time, so maybe you could say that the bending of space time, due to earths mass, sets a given object on a course towards the center of the earth’s mass…)
(though in my opinion, sometimes simplification can be useful, as long as it’s acknowledged as simplification)
Overall, thought-provoking!
At least to me!
So... Gyroscopic stability....
I WAS JUST THINKING ABOUT THIS THE OTHER DAY
A javelin also does the same but no one questioned it.
Now I'm wondering, What would a spinning top do in a vertical wind tunnel? What shape would let it stably spin? I'm guess a bullet shape
If you trow it right it will spin that spin will make it go straight
Nah this only raises a bigger question. How can a ball "want" to do something?
The ironic part about this is that the kids that paid attention in gym class but failed physics would know how to throw a football and not need to ever watch this video.
I think I disagree.... The top does not not align its rotational axis with the gravity vector. The top tries to maintain the the axis that it was spun around. If you spin it around a horizontal axis, it would try to maintain that axis. Think the classic bike tire in the classroom, or a gyroscope (several examples here). I would propose the solution would have to be in drag. (I know air flow direction is mentioned here). as the air flow vector changes, I would suspect that you get a moment on the ball that causes the rotation axis to rotate and "try to realign" with the air vector. (a game of cat and mouse if you will). Essentially this is a stable system (ball rotating on axis) with a constantly changing input (changing air flow).
@Pronto I appreciate your reply. I would argue that once the motion is developed (1-2 meters) that the air flow relative to the ball is constant. I know that sounds weird, but the air doesn't care if the ball is going away from ground or toward it.
Loving it 😊
is light a particle?
it's a particle wave
This is very interesting subject for me.
do reverse swing in cricket pls
I don't get it. What's special with how the football is pointing? If you throw something, the front would face front while falling.