Commended (2023)

Bend it Like Magnus (in motion)

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I love playing football and whenever I take a free kick and it curves I wonder ““Why do footballs curve?”“. Footballs curve when you ​put power and spin on the ball because the perpendicular force pushes the ball into a curve. Also when it is spinning the ball pulls more air to one side, creating more power at one side of the ball causing it to travel in an arc. This spinning effect is called the Magnus effect and can be calculated using algebra.

— Hugh MacKinnon (P7)