Why does a football spiral when it's thrown? The science behind the success
Fox News
Just ahead of the Super Bowl, here's the fascinating science behind a football spiral, with input from a physics professor. The ball turns over "because the onrushing air exerts torque," he says.
A good spiral football pass makes 600 turns per minute — and as the football spins across the field, gravity pulls the nose of the ball downward. "It’s the torque that causes the ball to rotate or spiral about its long axis that is aligned with the ball’s direction of trajectory." "The spinning ball is always trying to keep its long rotational axis aligned along the airflow direction." "The ball’s launch speed and initial direction are determined by the quarterback’s throwing motion." Erica Lamberg is a contributing reporter for Fox News Digital.
The direction the football changes slightly depending on which hand the quarterback uses to throw it, according to Time.com.
Archaeologists and 249 schoolchildren searching for a 400-year-old castle in Northern Ireland discovered 9,000-year-old Mesolithic tools and Bronze Age remains.
Holiday travelers face increased scammer attacks using leaked personal data from airlines and hotels to send fake flight cancellations and payment requests.
A new study reveals transient objects in pre-satellite era photographs show statistically significant associations with nuclear testing and eyewitness UAP reports.
A 14-foot thresher shark died after becoming stranded in shallow water near Wellfleet, Massachusetts, despite rescue efforts by the New England Coastal Wildlife Alliance.
The House canceled a planned vote on the SCORE Act as bipartisan concerns grew over its impact on college athletes, despite White House support for the legislation.
Stanford Medicine researchers found that older adults who received the shingles vaccine were 20% less likely to develop dementia over the next seven years.
Dolly Parton has announced her Tennessean Travel Stops partnership to create entertainment-focused rest areas on Tennessee highways starting in Cornersville.
A rare champagne from Princess Diana and King Charles' 1981 wedding is hitting the auction block. The unopened Dom Pérignon bottle could fetch up to $95,000 next week, experts believe.
Oklahoma student Samantha Fulnecky got a zero after citing the Bible in a gender norms essay, leading the University of Oklahoma to place the TA on leave.
New congressional bill would expose foreign adversary funding in U.S. schools, giving parents transparency into potential Chinese propaganda in classrooms.
An anonymous visitor struck it rich this holiday season at the Las Vegas Fontainebleau resort, turning a $25 wager into a jackpot exceeding $1,152,000 on Thanksgiving.
A new study finds that eating 60 grams of peanuts daily for 16 weeks improved brain blood flow by 3% and boosted verbal memory in healthy older adults.
Linda-Isabella Rendon successfully establishes pro-life club at Vanguard University after initial rejection over political neutrality concerns from administrators.