PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Cricket ball 'swing' and aerodynamic lift
Old 2nd October 2005 | 14:58
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bookworm
 
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: UK
and the 'swing' is sideways movement of the ball in flight due to the rough side of the ball experiencing higher pressure than the smooth or polished side,
Not higher pressure but higher drag. IIRC, the ball swings towards the rough side, away fom the polished side, or at least mine mostly did. In other words, the drag on the rough side pulls that side back more.

You could achieve a similar effect by making the upper surface of the wing more draggy, but that would defeat the objective. The goal is not an upward force at any cost, but rather the optimisation of lift to drag. Merely increasing drag doesn't help.
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