2014 Fifa Ball Has Stable Flight Trajectory

According to scientists from Japan, the Adidas Brazuca owes its expected stable aerodynamic performance to its six-panel design.

AsianScientist (May 30, 2014) – The 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil is just around the corner. Did you know that its official ball, the Adidas Brazuca, has a stable flight trajectory thanks to the shape and number of panels from which it was constructed?

Soccer balls are traditionally constructed from 32 pentagonal and hexagonal panels. However, newer balls have been produced from 32, 14 and 8 panels with unconventional shapes and designs. Brazuca has been produced from just six panels.

Scientists Sungchan Hong and Takeshi Asai from the University of Tsukuba in Japan recently conducted an analysis of different soccer balls with respect to the shape, number and orientation of panels. Through studying the correlation between wind tunnel results and actual ball trajectories, they found a substantial impact of soccer ball panel characteristics on the ball’s trajectory.

“The strong correlation observed suggests the possibility of predicting the trajectory of a ball. Moreover, the detected effect of the panel orientation on the flight characteristics may be beneficial for practical soccer coaching and the design of new soccer balls,” explained Dr. Hong about the research, which was published in Scientific Reports.

“The numbers and orientations of the panels determine the surface shapes of the balls, and their effects on trajectory can now be applied to find more efficient shooting techniques and improve physical education teaching methods in schools.”

The article can be found at: Hong et al. (2014) Effect of panel shape of soccer ball on its flight characteristics.

_____

Source: Nature Publishing Group; Photo: D@LY3D/CC/Flickr.
Disclaimer: This article does not necessarily reflect the views of AsianScientist or its staff.

Alan Aw is a maths enthusiast who likes sharing the fun and beauty of science with others. Besides reading, he enjoys running, badminton, and listening to (and occasionally playing) Bach or Zez Confrey.

Related Stories from Asian Scientist