Usually, if you drop a basketball from a certain height, it is bound to hit the force with a great force, all thanks to the gravity acting on it. However, did you know that if you dropped it from a great height and making sure that you backspin the ball before you release, the ball will follow its anticipated path only till a while. And suddenly, the ball curves itself and you will spot it taking a different path down altogether.
This magical effect exhibited is known as the Magnus Effect, which explains why a descending and spinning ball creates an air drag around itself, due to which a low pressure and high pressure area is created. As a result, the ball gets swerved away from its original path.
Watch the video seen below in which Derek Muller explains about how this phenomenon happens.
(h/t: io9)
