Assume that the ball is moving into the page (and away from you) with the indicated spin. Determine the direction of the Magnus force.
A) to the right
B) to the left
C) up
D) down
E) The Magnus force is zero.

Question

Assume that the ball is moving into the page (and away from you) with the indicated spin. Determine the direction of the Magnus force. 
A) to the right 
B) to the left 
C) up 
D) down 
E) The Magnus force is zero.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The direction of the Magnus force is perpendicular to both the velocity of the ball and its spin. In this case, since the ball is moving into the page (away from you) and spinning clockwise, the Magnus force will be to the right. This is because the force vector will be pointing in the direction the top of the ball is moving, which is towards the right.

Assume That the Ball Is Moving into the Page (And