Magnus Effect Project – Eco-Gliders

Today we have a really, really cool experiment that is part game, part toy, and part physics experiment! The Magnus Effect Cup Glider experiment explores the science of aerodynamics using just a few simple materials (plastic cups, rubber bands, and tape), which also makes it perfect for a budget conscious classroom or summer camp. These eco-gliders are a fun new take on the popular bottle rocket trend that kids everywhere are obsessed with. Today we will use recycled cups to explore the Magnus effect with flying cup gliders then add a classroom competition element to test flight time and distance. Ready, set, fly!

Easy Magnus Effect Cup Glider Experiment

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What is the Magnus Effect?

Imagine you’re playing with a ball in the garden or on the field at school. It can be any kind of ball.
You throw it, kick it, or hit it, but this time, you give it some spin.

As the ball flies through the air, something amazing happens…the spinning ball changes how the air moves around it, and this makes the ball curve to one side or the other. This is what the Magnus Effect is!

The Magnus Effect is the secret that adds extra coolness to all your favourite sports that involve a ball. Without it, you would not be able to “bend” a soccer ball, spin a tennis ball, or “curve” a baseball. You also see the Magnus Effect at play (do you see what I did there???) when bowling or playing pool or snooker.

The Magnus Effect Science Lesson

To help you prepare your lessons, here are some of the science and concepts students learn during this project.

The Magnus Effect is a phenomenon where a spinning object curves away from its expected path due to differences in air pressure. By launching a cup glider with a spin, students observe how rotational motion affects flight direction and stability. To help tie it into your lesson plans and curriculum, this experiment demonstrates physics concepts like lift, drag, and air resistance.

Magnus Effect Quick Demonstration

To see the Magnus Effect in action, let’s do a quick, fun experiment.

Grab a bouncy ball or a tennis ball and head outside. Throw it with a good spin (ask a grown-up for help if you need to) and watch how the ball curves through the air. Did you see how much the ball curved? That’s the science we are playing with today.

It is time to get building!

Magnus Effect Cup Glider Tutorial Video

Prefer to learn by watching? We made a video tutorial of this project that shows our process step-by-step so you can replicate it with your kids. If you can’t see the video it is being blocked by a firewall or adblocker, but don’t worry, you can also watch it on our YouTube Channel! Don’t forget to like and subscribe while you are over there so we can continue to bring you more educational videos.

Eco-Gliders – The Magnus Effect in Action

Materials

Two small paper cups – make at least three sizes of gliders (use plastic & paper)
Masking tape, electrical tape, Sellotape, or duct tape
Wood glue or acid-free glue
Different sized and material rubber bands- I used rubber and latex. You need at least three to four of each rubber band.

Directions

I started by making a glider from 2 small paper cups.

Glue the cups together and leave to dry completely.

Cover the joint with whatever tape you have at home. I used masking tape on the paper cups.

Take three or four rubber bands and loop them together to make a long chain.

See the diagram below:

Flying the Cup Glider

Hold the glider in one hand and place the rubber band under your thumb to hold it down. Wrap the rubber band around the glider away from you and up and over the glider until you have a piece long enough to launch the glider on the side of the glider away from your body.

Pro Tip! Keep stretching the rubber band as tight as you can!

Slip the end of the rubber band onto the thumb of your other hand, and stretch the rubber band away from you with your thumb, tilting the glider upwards.

Let go of the glider and watch the glider go!

Glider Cup Challenge

Test all the other cups you made with all three rubber bands. I know which glider & rubber bands worked best for me, now it’s your turn to do the same! This kind of scientific investigation builds valuable skills in students, but most of all have fun playing and learning!

How Does the Magus Effect Glider Work?

When you wound the rubber band chain around the glider nice and tight and stretched the end of the chain out in front of you and let the end of the rubber band go, the rubber band acted as a slingshot, shooting the glider forward into the air by uncoiling through the rubber band.

As the glider moves forward, air flows around the spinning cylinders.

This action is what gets the glider to rotate, creating low air pressure (faster airflow) on the top of it and higher air pressure (slower airflow) on the bottom of it.

The difference in the air pressure above and below the glider creates lift.

The more you stretch the rubber band around the cups the faster you get the glider spinning and the more lift you will create.

With faster spinning, the glider gets a steady lift force, which helps it fly smoothly.

The Magnus Effect in Everyday Life

The Magnus effect is important in everyday life because it helps us understand and control how spinning objects move through the air or water.

Here are some examples:

Sports

Curved soccer kicks, baseball pitches, and tennis shots, all rely on the Magnus effect. Players use spin to control the direction, speed, and curve of balls.

Transportation

Some modern ships use Flettner rotors (tall spinning cylinders) to catch the wind and generate lift for extra propulsion, saving fuel.

Aviation

Magnus effect gliders and other experimental aircraft help find new ways to fly using rotating parts instead of traditional wings.

Science and Engineering

Understanding the Magnus effect helps in designing better wind turbines and drones.

The Magnus Effect teaches us how rotation can change motion, helping us design smarter machines, play better games, and use energy more efficiently.

Teacher Prompts

Fun questions to ask your students during this project to help challenge their thinking and learning about the concepts.

Which glider worked the best and why?
What difference did the different rubber bands make?
How far did each glider fly? (Break out the tape measures and get recording!)

Extension Activities

Paper Airplane Experiments – Fold different styles of paper airplanes and test how far or how straight they fly while learning about lift, drag, thrust, and the effects of wing shape and size.

Balloon Rockets – Learn about thrust and Newton’s Third Law of Motion (action/reaction).

Spinning Paper Helicopters – Learn how air resistance slows motion, creates spin, and introduces drag and stability.

Parachute Egg Drops – Learn about drag, gravity, and how shape affects descent speed… and protects your egg!