Baseball Curveballs: Explanation & Bonus Tips

[physicsgrade11]

For a question on one of my assignments, we have to explain how a curveball works. I have been reading a lot on the internet on it, but he says that we do not need the magnus effect to explain it (which all the sites weem to use). Also, he said for bonus we could explain how it is theoretically possible to throw a curve ball that will curve twice?
Any help would be appreciated

 

[Chi Meson]

Basic "curveball" curving is usually explained through the Bernoulli effect. Bernoulli and Magnus are related, but the first is simpler.Do some reserach on the English footballer Beckham who is famous for a spectaacular "bending" curve. For this you will need to know about the Magnus effect.

 

[physicsgrade11]

Okay. I had the answer for the curveball I was just having a little trouble understanding it. Does this make sense?

Assume a baseball throws the ball (forwards) with the ball spinning clockwise. Then on the right side of the ball the velocity of it's spin would be in the same direction of the flow of the air and on the left it would be in the opposite direction of the flow of air. So relative to the ground the velocity on the right side of the ball is faster. Which means that the pressure is lower on that side and higher on the left side.

So the ball will curve to the right?



No luck finding anything about the ball that will curve one way then start to curve the other?? anyone even heard of this?
Thanks