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Bouncing Balls Experiment

This experiment investigates how the release height of a ball affects its rebound height. It is predicted that higher release heights will result in higher rebound heights because potential energy increases with height. However, rebound height will always be lower than release height due to energy lost as heat and sound during impact. The independent variable is drop height from 100cm to 10cm in 5cm increments. The dependent variable is rebound height, measured after 3 trials for each drop height. Mass and applied force are kept constant. The aim is to determine the effect of release height on rebound height by comparing measurements.

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68 views

Bouncing Balls Experiment

This experiment investigates how the release height of a ball affects its rebound height. It is predicted that higher release heights will result in higher rebound heights because potential energy increases with height. However, rebound height will always be lower than release height due to energy lost as heat and sound during impact. The independent variable is drop height from 100cm to 10cm in 5cm increments. The dependent variable is rebound height, measured after 3 trials for each drop height. Mass and applied force are kept constant. The aim is to determine the effect of release height on rebound height by comparing measurements.

Uploaded by

lmyaee15
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as TXT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Bouncing Balls Experiment: Inquiry question: Does the release hight of a ball

affect the rebound height?

Background info:
- When a ball is lifted off the ground it has GPE
- When the ball is released the GPE is transformed into KE
- The higher the ball is above the ground, the more GPE it has initially. In
this case there is more KE available just before it hits the ground
- The ball changes shape because it is elastic. In this case the KE is
transformed into EPE.
- The EPE of the ball when it hits the ground is converted back into KE,
sound and heat energy
- The KE is transformed back into GPE
- The law of CoE states that Ki+Ui=Kf+Uf

Prediction: The higher the drop height, the higher the rebound because it starts
off with more GPE. The rebound height will always be lower than the drop height
because energy is lost as sound and heat every time it bounces.

Variables:
Independent: (What is being changed)
- Drop height, D (cm):
- 100cm - 10cm. Increments of 5cm
- Measured using 1m ruler
- Measured from the floor to bottom of the ball
Dependant: (What is being measured)
- Rebound height, R (cm)
- Measured using 1m ruler
- Measured from the floor to bottom of the ball when it reaches
maximum height
- Will be repeated 3 times
Control: (Keeping constant)
Quantitive:
- Mass of the ball, m= 100g
- Set of digital scales the measure the mass of the ball
- Use the same ball and measure the mass before each trial
- Applied force to the ball, F= 0N
- The ball will be dropped without any downward motion of
the hand.
Qualitative:
- Type of ball – tennis ball

Aim: To determine the effect of the release height on the rebound height of the
ball.
COMPARE
To determine the effect of changing drop height of a tennis ball on the
rebound height. The drop and rebound height will be measured from the
ground to the bottom of the ball. The drop height will range from 100 cm to 10cm in
increments of 5cm. The ball will be released with no applied force when it
is dropped.

Risk Assessment
- Sprains and bruises from slipping on a ball on the ground
- Pick up ball as soon as it is on the ground

Apparatus
- 1x 60g tennis ball
- 1x metre ruler
- 1x boss head
- 1x retort stand
- 1x clamp
- 1x

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