The Magnus Effect Continued; This Time in the Clouds

Not too long ago, we showed you a video of the Magnus effect putting a strange twist to the way a basketball was pulled down to the Earth by gravity.

The physics involved with the rough surface of the basketball, combined with a backspin while falling, makes the basketball twist and corkscrew through the air instead of just falling straight down.

Here, we have another demonstration of the Magnus Effect, but this time the experiment is being conducted above the clouds, high up on a cliff.

Because of the pressure of the air around the ball as it falls, all due to the rough surface, the ball turns instead of falling straight down. This gives it a much longer falling period than a flat-sufaced ball would.