Turbulent Flight: The Aerodynamics of the Dimpled Golf Ball

Intuition suggests that a perfectly smooth sphere will travel through the air faster and further than a rough, bumpy one. In the strict laws of fluid dynamics, however, intuition is completely wrong. If you hit a perfectly smooth golf ball, it will drop out of the sky after 100 yards, suffocated by its own aerodynamic drag. This fascinating exploration breaks down the physics of the golf ball di...