10
he quarterback takes the snap and
gets ready to throw the prolate spheroid to the open receiver down eld and … Wait. What? That strange football shape is called called a prolate spheroid . That
shape lets football players put a spin on the ball when they throw it or kick it. This spin creates air ow over the ball while it travels. That matters because gravity is always trying to pull the ball down to the ground.
The word aerodynamics comes from two Greek words:
(meaning‘of the air’) and
(power, strength, force) Scientists use aerodynamics to make things go fast and far — like cars, jet planes, and footballs. The weight of an object makes it harder to lift. But knowing about aerodynamics keeps a 300,000 pound plane in the air!
Spin forces air above the ball downward
Quarterbacks grip the ball in different ways to create spin. And spin is how they get more lift on the ball. Air traveling above the ball is forced downward by the spin and the air below creates lift.
Air below the spinning ball creates lift
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©Vicki Whiting November 2026
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