Short Wave A (Monday Night) Football Mystery
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Sep 1, 2025 Tim Gay, an experimental atomic physicist with a love for football, dives into the intriguing physics of the spiral pass in this engaging discussion. He reveals how two decades of research and spirited debates with fellow physicists led to groundbreaking insights into the mechanics behind a perfect throw. Listeners will learn about the forces at play, the role of Newton's laws, and how air resistance influences a football's trajectory. Get ready for an entertaining blend of science and sport that answers long-held mysteries!
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How A Question From Bill Phillips Sparked Research
- Tim Gay first noticed football physics as a kid and later pursued it alongside his career as an experimental atomic physicist.
- He admitted to Nobel laureate Bill Phillips during a lecture that he didn’t know why tight spiral passes tilt down, sparking years of research.
Classical Physics Drives Football Motion
- Newton's three laws explain most on-field motion, from collisions to why quarterbacks fly after hits.
- Air drag and gravity both crucially shape a football's trajectory and range, not just simple parabolas.
Drag And Symmetry Undercut Weather-Vane Theory
- Existing explanations failed because a football is front-back symmetric and doesn't act like a weather vane.
- Wind tunnel tests show the ball aligns perpendicular to onrushing air, so drag alone couldn't explain the nose flipping down.