Frisbee

flying disc · sport · physics · toy

Curved like a wing. A frisbee's curved shape works just like an airplane wing, pushing air down so the disc gets pushed up. This is called lift, and it's the same force that keeps planes in the sky.

Spin makes it stable. When you spin a frisbee as you throw it, the spinning creates a gyroscopic force that keeps it steady and straight. Without that spin, the disc would wobble and fall.

Small but mighty. A standard frisbee is about 20 to 25 centimeters across (roughly the size of a dinner plate) and made from injection-molded plastic, which is formed by injecting hot plastic into a mold.

Precision and distance. Frisbees can be thrown both for accuracy, where you aim for a target, and for distance, where you try to throw it as far as possible. Both require the same spinning technique.

Games and competition. People play recreational games with frisbees and also compete in organized flying disc sports at high levels of skill and athleticism.