Bounce Coefficients
Objective:
To determine the "Bounce Coefficients" of a tennis ball, golf ball, and ping
pong ball.
The bounce coefficient is defined as the height of a ball’s bounce, divided
by the height from which the ball was dropped.
Materials:
Tennis ball
Golf Ball
Ping Pong Ball
Meter Stick
Tape
Analysis:
Procedures:
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the golf ball was the ball to go the highest, even though you would expect the tennis ball to go the highest. The ping pong ball seemed to be in second place, and the tennis ball was in third place.
Abstract:
In the experiment, "Bounce Height vs. Drop Height", we determined the bounce coefficients of a tennis ball, ping pong ball, and a golf ball. The procedure also involved observing how the height from which a ball is dropped affects its bounce. A ball's gravitational potential energy is proportional to its height. The air pressure affects how high the ball will bounce back up. Our group needed to experiment to prove this.
The procedure for this experiment was very simple. The materials needed were a tennis ball, gold ball, ping pong ball, two meter sticks and tape. The set up was quite simple as well. Our group taped the meter sticks together and performed the experiment. We dropped the 3 different balls in intervals of 25s. We started from the lowest which is 25 cm to 200 cm. We did 3 different records of how high the ball bounces for all 3 balls for all 8 heights.
We noticed that as we dropped the ball from 25 cm to 200 cm, that as the drop height increases, the bounce-height increased as well. This proves that a ball's gravitational potential energy is proportional to its height. Another thing that we noticed is that the mass of the ball also affects how high it bounces. The tennis ball has the greatest mass among the 3 balls, therefore it didn't really bounce as high as the golf ball did and the ping pong. The golf ball, which has more mass than the ping pong ball bounced higher than the ping pong ball did on all intervals. And the ping pong ball, having the least mass bounced higher than all 3.
After recording the different heights of the balls, our group averaged all the results of each drop height and the average then became the points used for the scattered graph. There, we found the slope for the different types of balls which will give us the equation to determine the "Bounce Coefficients" of the tennis ball, ping pong ball, and golf ball.
Ultimately, the experiment itself involved a lot of ball bouncing dynamics and relied a lot on the mass of the ball and its gravitational potential. This experiment was simple, yet it is full of information that links to physics.
- First, all of the points were put in a table using Word Excel.
- After that the points were plotted on a scattered graph.
- Then trendlines were made for the points of the tennis, golf, and ping pong ball.
- After that, the equation of each line was made.
- Each scatter point represents the bounce/drop for each ball.
Procedures:
- Tape two meter sticks to the wall.
- Drop each ball 3 times every 25 cm, until 200 cm and record the bounce.
- Calculate the average bounce height for each ball.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, the golf ball was the ball to go the highest, even though you would expect the tennis ball to go the highest. The ping pong ball seemed to be in second place, and the tennis ball was in third place.
Abstract:
In the experiment, "Bounce Height vs. Drop Height", we determined the bounce coefficients of a tennis ball, ping pong ball, and a golf ball. The procedure also involved observing how the height from which a ball is dropped affects its bounce. A ball's gravitational potential energy is proportional to its height. The air pressure affects how high the ball will bounce back up. Our group needed to experiment to prove this.
The procedure for this experiment was very simple. The materials needed were a tennis ball, gold ball, ping pong ball, two meter sticks and tape. The set up was quite simple as well. Our group taped the meter sticks together and performed the experiment. We dropped the 3 different balls in intervals of 25s. We started from the lowest which is 25 cm to 200 cm. We did 3 different records of how high the ball bounces for all 3 balls for all 8 heights.
We noticed that as we dropped the ball from 25 cm to 200 cm, that as the drop height increases, the bounce-height increased as well. This proves that a ball's gravitational potential energy is proportional to its height. Another thing that we noticed is that the mass of the ball also affects how high it bounces. The tennis ball has the greatest mass among the 3 balls, therefore it didn't really bounce as high as the golf ball did and the ping pong. The golf ball, which has more mass than the ping pong ball bounced higher than the ping pong ball did on all intervals. And the ping pong ball, having the least mass bounced higher than all 3.
After recording the different heights of the balls, our group averaged all the results of each drop height and the average then became the points used for the scattered graph. There, we found the slope for the different types of balls which will give us the equation to determine the "Bounce Coefficients" of the tennis ball, ping pong ball, and golf ball.
Ultimately, the experiment itself involved a lot of ball bouncing dynamics and relied a lot on the mass of the ball and its gravitational potential. This experiment was simple, yet it is full of information that links to physics.