Question

1. Draw a free-body diagram of a fastball which rises, showing all relevant forces and explain how it relates to the vertical motion of the object you observed.

2. Could you make an object break left? Draw a rear view of the object from your perspective. Be sure to draw the axis of rotation and Magnus force for your object.

3. Could you make an object break to the right? Draw a rear view of the object from your perspective. Be sure to draw the axis of rotation and Magnus force for your object.

4. Describe the importance of where and how you apply force to create the Magnus effect.

Answer 1

FoAbove diagram for a fastball that rises midair due to the magnus effect

Below, for the object to be breaking left or right the following combination of forces is required (given is the rear view):

Hence we can see, for magnus effect to take place, the ball needs to be rotating such that there is motion of the surface of the ball against / along the relative wind. This motion of surface of ball cannot be perpendicular to the relative wind, because in that case the whole ball will appear to be having same surface force on all direction, causing no net force.

Hence, if the axis of rotation is in a plane that is perpendicular to the ground, and perpendicular to the direction of the linear motion of the ball, the ball will show magnus affect ( move in one preferable direction) due to air pressure difference created due to non - similiar relative air velocities on the surface of the ball