Have you ever wondered how someone can curve a soccer ball into the back of the net? Or, how they can ‘chip’ the ball over an opponent to get around them? Well, I know the answer to these questions; it is physics that causes these things to occur.
Many things factor in when kicking a ball. You can’t just slam the ball with your toe and expect it to go where you want; only on a lucky shot will that happen. The way the wind is blowing, at what speed, and how much pressure is applied to the ball will all affect which way the ball goes and how fast it travels.
When a ball is spinning after being kicked the closer the air is to the center of the ball, the faster it will go. To curve the ball, it must be initially kicked off-center to create a side spin. If the ball is kicked with high speed, it will enter a smooth-airflow help to bring in a large sideways force.
When the ball is at rest, it has no spin and there is no force acting on it. Once a foot impacts the ball, the reaction force from the impact will cause the ball to spin in a reverse direction. I found a video that explains very easily how to curve a ball with the instep of your foot and the outside of your foot. Feel free to check it out and I hope you enjoyed learning something you possibly didn’t know!
Some cites I used to help with this information are right here.
Didn't think of it that way..maybe i'll think about that next time i kick a soccer ball. (:
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