Question Number: 27947

Law 2 - The Ball 10/28/2013

RE: Competitive Under 13

John of Illinois , Chicago Us asks...

Does air in a soccer ball affect the distance it is kicked ?

Answer provided by Referee Jason Wright

Hi John,

A ball that is flat - or not blown up enough - will not be kicked as far as a ball that is properly pumped it. It won't bounce as much and will feel heavier.

That's why it is important to make sure the ball is properly blown up.

Answer provided by Referee Joe McHugh

Hi John
Yes it does in the same way as weight and altitude.
The greater the air pressure in the ball, the farther it will travel when a force is applied. A kick transfers more energy to a correctly inflated ball, compared to an underiflated one, as less of the energy is lost to deformation of the ball's surface.
Drop an under-inflated ball on a hard surface and see how far it bounces up. Do the same drop with a correctly inflated ball and the bounce will be higher.
The Laws of the Game require that the ball is of a pressure equal to 8.5 lbs/sq in ? 15.6 lbs/sq in at sea level.
I inflate the ball to around 9 lbs and most manufacturers recommend between 8.5 and 11 for their regular ball while 12 is recommended for some professional match balls.