Bouncing ball Definition and 87 Threads

The physics of a bouncing ball concerns the physical behaviour of bouncing balls, particularly its motion before, during, and after impact against the surface of another body. Several aspects of a bouncing ball's behaviour serve as an introduction to mechanics in high school or undergraduate level physics courses. However, the exact modelling of the behaviour is complex and of interest in sports engineering.
The motion of a ball is generally described by projectile motion (which can be affected by gravity, drag, the Magnus effect, and buoyancy), while its impact is usually characterized through the coefficient of restitution (which can be affected by the nature of the ball, the nature of the impacting surface, the impact velocity, rotation, and local conditions such as temperature and pressure). To ensure fair play, many sports governing bodies set limits on the bounciness of their ball and forbid tampering with the ball's aerodynamic properties. The bounciness of balls has been a feature of sports as ancient as the Mesoamerican ballgame.

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  1. A

    Uncertainty of speed of bouncing ball

    Homework Statement A small ball of mass 2.0×10−6 kg is dropped on a table from a height of 1.0 m. After each bounce the ball rises to 80 % of its height before the bounce because of its inelastic collision with the table. Estimate how many bounces occur before the uncertainty principle...
  2. O

    What is the optimal velocity for a bouncing ball to pass through a window?

    Homework Statement Consider there is a window 5 meters from a person. The window is sized 1.21 meters (4 ft) in length and .914 meter (3 ft) wide at a height of 6 meters from the ground. A person 1.8288 meters tall (6 ft) wants to bounce a ball (COR: 0.789) on the ground such that the...
  3. X

    So, what happens to the energy of a bouncing ball in a vacuum?

    Hey guys, im a physics junky, and new to these forums. I have a burning question i was thinking about the past week or so: If a ball was bounced from a given initial height say 30m. And it bounced in a vacumm-tight container, would its velocity be high enough after its bounce to achieve...
  4. I

    Is the Upward Force on a Bouncing Ball the Same as the Average Normal Force?

    Hello I just have some basic question about the bouncing ball. When we throw a ball on the gound, there is usual force of mg downwards, but since the ball is bouncing, due to the change in momentum, the ground will exert an upward force on the ball. Is this upward force same as the average...
  5. S

    How to Calculate the Distance Traveled by a Bouncing Ball

    A golf ball is hit from the fairway at a speed of 40 m/s at an angle of 45 degrees. Upon hitting the ground, the ball bounces off the ground at the same angle but loses 75 % of its speed on each bounce. How far does the ball travel before stopping ? I started off with some trajectory and...
  6. T

    Archived What is the Optimal Angle for a One-Bounce Baseball Throw?

    1. In baseball, player throws ball so that the ball takes one bounce before it reaches infielder. Suppose that the angle at which a bounced ball leaves the ground is the same as the angle at which the outfielder launced it. The ball's speed after the bounce is half of what it was before...
  7. K

    Bouncing Ball Problem, velocity vs. time

    This is my first college physics class and I am feeling a little challenged, since it is the start and all. I took physics in high school and am a bit rusty. I appreciate any help. Homework Statement The vertical component of the velocity of a bouncing ball is shown in the graph below (graph...
  8. T

    Bouncing Ball Equation: Height, Time, Angle 90o

    What is the equation to find the height of a bouncing ball under Earth's gravity (9.8?) if given the time (t) from the start of the drop (10ft) if the ball is either a tennis ball or a ball that reaches 1/2 of the previous max height? (Ignoring air resistance & spin) In addition, the angle of...
  9. W

    Calculating the Net Force of a Bouncing Ball

    Homework Statement a rubber ball mass of 0.08 kg bounces vertically on a concrete floor. the ball strikes the floor at 10 ms-1 and rebounds at 8 ms-1. The time in contact with the floor is 0.05 sec. Calculate the average net force acting on the ball during the contact with the floor...
  10. S

    Bouncing ball and angular velocity

    Hello, I am having a problem calculating the angular velocity of a bouncing ball. At first this ball is thrown a distance and then hits the ground. Before it hits the ground it has no angular velocity. After it hits the ground it gets an angular velocity. I have the inertia of the ball...
  11. S

    What is the direction of impulse delivered to a bouncing ball?

    Homework Statement To make a bounce pass, a player throws a 0.60 kg basketball towards the floor. the ball hits the floor with a speed of 5.4m/s at an angle of 65o to the vertical. The ball rebounds elastically with the same speed and angle. Calculate impulse (magnitude and direction) delivered...
  12. P

    Bouncing ball average acceleration

    Homework Statement A golf ball released from a height of 1.5m above a concrete floor bounces back to a height of 1.1m. If the ball is in contact with the floor for 6.2 X 10^-4 s, what is the average acceleration of the ball while in contact with the floor? g= 9.81 m/s^2 x-xo= -1.5 vo= 0...
  13. N

    Calculating Retained Potential Energy of a Bouncing Ball | Homework Help

    Homework Statement If the ball is dropped from a height of 1.5 m, how much of the potential energy, in joules, is retained after the first bounce on the carpet? the mass of the ball is 500g Homework Equations Eg = mgh Ek = 1/2mv2 v = (2gh)-2 i think that all i need The...
  14. F

    Calculating Force on a Bouncing Ball

    Force on a bouncing ball? Homework Statement this should be easy but for some reason I am making a mistake here is the problem A ball whose mass is 0.2 kg hits the floor with a speed of 5 m/s and rebounds upward with a speed of 4 m/s. If the ball was in contact with the floor for 1.5 ms...
  15. B

    How Does Initial Drop Height Affect a Ball's Rebound and Energy Loss?

    1. I am investigating how the initial height a ball is dropped from affects the rebound height. We have been asked to make a prediction about what we think will happen; however, we have not been given any guidance as to what we should write. Homework Equations To find the % potential...
  16. K

    Calculating Force of Bouncing Ball Bearing

    At work I have been given the task of finding force of ball bearing hitting a pick up finger in a ball nut. If you have no idea what that is then to simplify the scenario I am trying to model a ball bearing hitting a steel plate and the force that ball exerts on the plate. Back to physics...
  17. G

    How can the impulse of a bouncing ball be calculated?

    Homework Statement Ok, I am supposed to find the impulse of a .12 kg ball dropped from a height of 1.25 meters. It bounces back from the floor to a height of .6 meters. Not really sure of all the equations needed, I need a lot of help.
  18. P

    How much height does a bouncing ball lose after its first bounce?

    On earth, if I drop a ball from a building height 100m, what will be the maximum height of the ball after its first bounce? Note: This is not a homework question, I am trying to design a game and I want it to be as accurate as possible.
  19. P

    How Does a Rubber Ball Bounce?

    Homework Statement A rubber ball bounces. We'd like to understand how the ball bounces. (Do this on paper. Your instructor may ask you to turn in this work.) (a) A rubber ball has been dropped and is bouncing off the floor. Draw a motion diagram of the ball during the brief time interval...
  20. N

    How come a bouncing ball does not exhibit SHM characteristics?

    Homework Statement How come a bouncing ball does not exhibit SHM characteristics? Homework Equations no clue The Attempt at a Solution When I think of SHM, I don't think of contact forces. In the bouncing call case, there is a contact force present when the ball hits the...
  21. H

    Bouncing Ball Position, Velocity and Acceleration Graphs.

    Hi! I've attempted to draw the position, velocity and acceleration graphs for a bouncing ball. This is the link for it: http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa59/aliatehreem/bouncing_ball.jpg What I'm wondering is, the instant in which the ball is in contact with the ground, is the...
  22. M

    How to Calculate KE and Momentum of a Bouncing Ball?

    Bouncing Ball KE and momentum?? Does anyone know how to calculate the KE and momentum of a bouncing ball? My quadratic equation is -4.113^t2+19.7t-22.72 The bounce begins at t=1.90s the bounce ends at t=2.85s The maximum height from my graph is (i think).8m. For this exp I don't need...
  23. I

    Calculating the Number of Bounces for a Moving Ball

    A ball rolls off a table with initial velocity u (say 1m/s). Every time it hits the ground its velocity is halved. Find how many times it has bounced when it has traveled a distance x (say 1m) from the table. I am almost sure that you can do this without knowing the height of the table but I...
  24. S

    Can a Quantum Bouncing Ball Tunnel Through an Infinite Potential Barrier?

    if a ball of mass m moving under the potential : V(z) = mgz for z > 0 and V(z) = \infty for z \leq0.What is the value of T : (Transmission coefficient)? i get : T = 0
  25. Z

    Bouncing Ball Lab: Calculate Distance & Time

    Homework Statement Figure out the total distance traveled by a ball bouncing vertically when its dropped from a height of 6 ft above the ground and the time the ball was in motion for. G 32ft/s^2 ball one dropped from 72 inches bounced back up 53 inches with a Coefficient of...
  26. N

    Why does the initial velocity of a bouncing ball increase with each bounce?

    I have a bouncing ball quadratic equation and know that B represents the initial velocity. My question is why does B the initial velocity increase with each bounce of the ball. It seems paradoxical to me, particularly if total energy is decreasing. y=ax^2 + bx + C I have attached...
  27. Y

    Spin reduction & bouncing ball

    Hi! I'm from sweden so my english isn't very good, well over to the physics questions: I'm qurrently making a tabletennis simulator, I'm almost done but there are two problems I haven't been able to find solutions to. In the program as it is now the spin of the tabletennis ball is...
  28. A

    Bouncing ball elastic collision

    A ball drops to the floor and bounces,eventually coming to rest.Collisions between the ball and floor are elastic;the speed after each collision is e times the speed before collision where e<1.If speed just before 1st bounce is v,find the time taken to come to rest.
  29. B

    Unraveling the Dynamics of a Bouncing Ball

    Homework Statement hey, i have a small physics project to do, where in i find to the dynamics of a bouncing ball. and the whatever dynamics is not mentioned.. Homework Equations ? The Attempt at a Solution so sofar i have calculated the co-efficient of restitution, then the...
  30. T

    Modeling a bouncing ball with STELLA

    Does any of you have an idea of how to model the behavior of a bouncing ball with STELLA (ISEE Systems)? I have only been able to get my model to show correctly the first two cycles of the bouncing motion. My idea is to have STELLA to plot the first cycle and have a variable to multiply the...
  31. X

    Understanding Impulse and Conservation of Energy in Bouncing Ball Collisions

    I don't know why I'm getting the wrong answer on this one. A 5.00kg ball is dropped from rest from 1.20m above the floor. The ball rebounds .700m. What are the magnitude, and direction of the impulse or the net force applied to the ball during the collision with the floor? So I started by...
  32. T

    How Do You Calculate the Time Interval Between Bounces of a Ball?

    Hi: I am working through this problem regarding a bouncing ball. I have gotten most of the way through, but can't figure out the time interval between bounces. Can someone give me some guidance? What am I not seeing? A 32 g steel ball bounces elastically on a steel plate, always...
  33. M

    How many bounces until the ball reaches a height less than 15cm?

    This is a pretty tricky question...been trying to piece it together but I think I need some help. A ball is dropped from a height of 3 m. After each bounce, it rises to 82% of its previous height. After how many bounces does the ball reach a height less than 15cm? I get the whole geometric...
  34. W

    Bouncing Ball Problem: Average Force Calculation with Suspicious Choices

    I have a problem that is multiple choice and I think that the choices may be wrong because the creator of the problem is know to have wrong answers. A 200g ball hits a wall perpendicularly with a velocity of 30 m/s and bounces back with a velocity of 20 m/s. The collison last for 5 ms, what is...
  35. F

    Interpreting Parameters in Bouncing Ball Experiment

    I'm working on a lab of a bouncing ball. I have been told to fit each free-fall interval using the quadratic equation which will give the values of a,b and c for y=ax^2+bx+c. Then I am to related this equation to the one for motion of a falling object y = yo + v0t + 1/2gt^2 and interpret the...
  36. G

    Rather simple bouncing ball problem average acceleration

    I'm stuck on this rather simple problem... A golf ball released from a height of 1.4 m above a concrete floor bounces back to a height of 1.2 m. If the ball is in contact with the floor for .62 ms what is the average acceleration of the ball whil ein contact with the floor. I know that...
  37. S

    Bouncing ball and acceleration

    Hey there... I'm studying for a test tomorrow and there's a problem I can't seem to figure out... I hope you all don't mind me asking here (hey, it's what the forum's for :smile:), and I hope you all can see that I really did attempt to work the problem myself. Now, when the ball hits the...
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