When Spin Creates Orbit: The Body Rotation & Orbit Theorem

This paper presents a new mechanical interpretation explaining why rigid bodies sometimes move along a curved path after they receive a single impulsive push. Under ideal textbook physics, the center of mass (COM) of a body should move in a straight line once the impulse is over. However, in real-world situations, frictional asymmetry, aerodynamic effects, and surface interactions create a continuous sideways (lateral) force even after the pushing force disappears.