Normally when a ball moves, it rolls toward where it goes. But when you spin a ball with its axis vertical to the floor, it somehow still moves. How does it works?

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Normally when a ball moves, it rolls toward where it goes. But when you spin a ball with its axis vertical to the floor, it somehow still moves. How does it works?

In: Physics

4 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Movement can happen in more than one axis at a time?

Anonymous 0 Comments

Since it’s spinning, it’s also by necessity sliding at the point of contact. This lets it move around a little based on the slope of the floor, the direction of the spin, and any linear speed you may have given it.

Anonymous 0 Comments

It seems incredibly unlikely that you would be able to spin a ball around the axis vertical to the floor and have the rotation be completely stable.

Anonymous 0 Comments

When you spin the ball, as well as pushing it around to make it spin, you will have pushed it a little in one direction, even if you didn’t intend to do so. On top of that, the surface the ball is on won’t be perfectly horizontal or perfectly even, and this may cause the ball to move off in some direction.