For the lower heights the flight time of the ball was extremely short and again it was difficult to move ones head over the distance from h. Do a larger amount of results; 1cm, 2cm, 3cm, 4cm etc. As a result, they move at a slower rate of speed with less energy. Bouncing is what makes playing with a ball so much fun. results, one of the many being that the harder the surface the ball was bouncing on, There are more than 160 different types of tennis surfaces. The height of the ball at each bounce is then calculated. The equipment necessary to generate these conditions was not available and as a result the results obtained were not one hundred percent accurate. An increase in h1, assuming g and m stay constant, results in an increase in m g h1 which results in an increase in GPE. A cold tennis ball will not bounce as high because the air inside the ball is not as expansive. This is because as the ball goes faster it passes through a greater volume of air each second. This can be explained by two factors. an incorrect and unreliable result. surface bounces a ball the highest. When the temperature drops, gas molecules in close proximity. This would mean that one could re-examine the height to which it bounced to and find it exactly instead of having to make a split second judgement which is not half as accurate. It provided me with five repeats so that the maximum and minimum results could be discounted and a reliable average could be taken. To determine how high a tennis ball will bounce when dropped from a . The more energy that the ball possessed before being dropped, the more energy was converted into KE while the ball fell. In this experiment you will use a ball filled with air. In our Our team of volunteer scientists can help. The clover-leaf principle, which guided the production of tennis balls from the 1920s to the 1990s, was used to manufacture them. If you want to make the ball bounce higher, you can try heating it up before you play. When the ball hits the floor and stops, that energy has to go somewhere. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". The decision for the size of interval and the amount of results collected will depend upon the time taken to conduct the experiment and any other factors that may become apparent during the preliminary experiment. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Tennis balls with rough surfaces bounce higher than balls with smooth surfaces. Science Buddies: Pilobolus Spore Sac Launch. (2020, January 12). It will be vinyl tiling. This is why you should have seen that when you bounced the basketball on a relatively hard surface it bounced higher (it lost less energy) compared with when it was bounced on a softer surface . Apparatus:Clamp stand, meter rule 2, table tennis ball, desk. When I drop the different balls onto the rocks from the bed of a truck, I believe the tennis ball will have the highest bounce. C. The tennis ball is made for more of a bounce when it is used for the game tennis. Watch the video of the dropping tennis ball. Therefore, our hypothesis was refuted by our final results. Measuring tape 3. This means that the faster that the ball travels the larger the force of air resistance upon it. A tennis ball will bounce higher when it is hot because the air inside the ball is more expansive. The energy that the ball hits the floor with is kinetic energy. Concrete got bounced on the most, 5 times, and the highest, 55cm. As the ball hits the blades of grass, they bend and don't provide as much upward rebound. . It was difficult to get down to the exact level of the blue tack seeing as it meant lowering your entire upper body in the short amount of time taken for the ball to hit the floor and rebound again to get your eye level from h1 to h2 (where the blue tack was stuck, approximately). Place one of the tennis balls in the freezer for 20 mins 2. This did not happen in my experiment however. Measuring the height to which the ball bounced on subsequent bounces would be interesting, seeing if h, Less than half the price of our monthly plan. As the ball falls to the surface it has kinetic energy. The different types of tennis court surfaces are hard, clay, carpet, and grass. "Under Pressure: Ball Bouncing Dynamics.". But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. small balls sometimes, but we could have improved this by taking many attempts You can also try using a hair dryer to heat the ball up. The higher the ball goes, the more GPE it ends up with. Then they would be dropped from a table, and the height would be measured. Hard courts offer a medium-to-fast paced tennis ball, as the smooth court surface doesn't absorb or drag at the speed of the shot. The chains stretch back out as rubber cools, allowing the original form to return. The strength of Nadals forehand is what makes him so good on clay. Gravel got bounced on the least, 1 time . This is due to an inelasticity in the energy lost when the ball collides with the ground, as well as the fact that the ball bounces every time it is hit. Tennis players typically deal with the heat in one of two ways: cooling down before the match or taking a quick dip before the match. Materials 1. As the ball has less KE and is travelling slower it becomes stationary faster at the top of its arc. Bouncing Ball Investigation This is an experiment to investigate bouncing balls and how they behave in different situations. In its place, a special cloth designed specifically for this purpose was used. As the ball falls it hits against air particles. Hypothesis. The Racquet Sports Industry's website states that, like human fingerprints, no two balls seem to be alike, and each has slightly different bouncing ability. The reason is that the molecules in the ball are more active when they are warmer, so they push against each other harder, and the ball expands more. Why do marbles bounce so high? A decrease in h1, assuming g and m stay constant, results in a decrease in m g h1which results in a decrease in GPE. Record the new pressure reading in your data table and repeat steps 4 and 5. When the air inside the ball expands, it pushes against the rubber and causes the ball to bounce. However if two results are recorded that do not fit the trend of other results nor are close to results recorded for that height then the experiments accuracy would be brought into doubt. This will be a table tennis ball. Copyright 2002-2023 Science Buddies. As a result, the balls bounce decreases as pressure decreases. This applies to a ball falling in a vacuum. The energy chain is as follows: Therefore as energy cannot be created or destroyed the energy the ball starts with must be directly proportional to the energy the ball finishes with, at the top of its bounce, and so if the ball starts with more energy it must therefore finish with more. These inaccuracies could have been caused by external factors or parallax error even though efforts were made to avoid parallax error occurring - by dropping the ball one time that was not measured and placing a blob of blue tack onto the meter rule at the approximate height it bounced to. As an example, on the day we performed our experiment, a strong wind was Our Experts won't do the work for you, but they will make suggestions, offer guidance, and help you troubleshoot. Keep your balls warm in order to get the best bounce possible. and tries to catch the balls on time. EQUIPMENT: 1 metre ruler 1 table tennis ball. I used a Flexible measuring tape to measure. If the coefficient to restitution = 0.7, a ball dropping from h1in a vacuum would reach the height of 0.7 h1 after bouncing. h2= The distance between the bottom of the ball at the top of its arc after bouncing and the ground. It relates to how much energy balls have, what they are made of, how they change shape and where the energy they have goes. Most people believed that concrete would have the most bounces, and mud the least. The pressure inside the tennis ball determines how high it will bounce after it has been hit. The higher the height from which the ball was dropped from, the higher the height to which it bounced. The tennis balls bounce in different ways. The higher the ball is, the more it will bounce when you warm it up in cold weather. Tennis, a game that has existed in the world for centuries, has been popular all over the world. This means for the ball to reach terminal velocity the drag force has to be bigger and for the drag force to be bigger the ball has to fall faster (so that more air particles hit the ball every second). METHOD: 1. Equipment/materials used: Why do balls bounce higher on different surfaces? The ball did not appear to reach its terminal velocity which also supports my prediction. Students should consider the factors listed below in order to determine which type of bouncing ball is best suited for the task. Write your measurements down. Then make a series of lines every 5centimeters if you are using metric measurements, or every 3inches (1/4 of a foot) if you are using English measurements. Keep a close eye on the ball, and instruct Phlebas to do the same. Then when dropping the ball again eye level was kept level with the blue tack. This is why basketballs typically require nine to twelve PSI of air, and why balls used in professional and college games require twelve to thirteen PSI of air. was blowing in, so that if the balls were blown away, they would come straight to Tiles3. KE = 1/2mv where m = mass and v = velocity, 1/2mv = mhg - thermal energy (lost as a result of drag). Why Does One Tennis Shoe Pull Your Sock Down? It is also necessary to warm a ball, because the energy inside it is released. Science Buddies Staff. Calculating the coefficient to restitution of ball hitting the floor: The coefficient to restitution can be found out from a graph of h1against h2. 70% is retained. The surface onto which the ball is dropped upon will be kept the same. Some of the kinetic energy of the ball is lost during the collision with the floor and the ball will not return to the original height. The variation between results was obtained by taking the minimum result away from the maximum result. These both support my prediction and show that my prediction was correct. Changes in air pressure could have affected results as could changes in temperature however changes in these two factors would have been small; air pressure would not have changed enough to affect the results in the hour period in which the experiment was conducted, and although the rooms temperature may have increased by a degree or two, due to body heat, over the course of the period temperature was not a major factor that affected the height to which the ball bounced and would not have significantly affected the results. The exact interval will be determined after the preliminary experiment, as will the number of heights that the ball will be dropped from. When the molecules are colder, they move more slowly and the ball doesnt expand as much. Air density will not change enough to affect the flight of the ball seeing as all the results will be collected during a brief period on one day. Balls bounce in ways that are affected by gravity. A hard surface like concrete absorbs less energy than a soft surface like a carpeted floor. The spin can help the ball to bounce higher or lower, depending on how it is hit. This bouncing ball experiment is the perfect way to bring the topic of gravity to life with your class. in the execution of our experiment. How Much Do Air Jordan Tennis Shoes Cost? stay constant, results in an increase in m g h, stay constant, results in a decrease in m g h, The surface onto which the ball is dropped will affect the height to which the ball bounces because for any two objects that collide, the properties of both determine the percentage of the kinetic energy either possesses approaching the collision that is conserved subsequent to the collision taking place (Coefficient to restitution) discounting the effects of air resistance. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. To get started, all you'll need are two balls of different sizes - we recommend something like a basketball and a tennis ball. Air resistance exists but does not affect the velocity of the ball significantly. GPE=Mass (kg) Gravitational Field Strength (N/Kg) Height (m). This also proves the accuracy of the experiment. quicker and on time before they dropped back down. This proves that the higher h1the more h2will differ from the height that the ball would have reached had it been dropped in a vacuum. Concrete will help bounce a ball the highest as it's hard and A tennis court is the venue where the sport of tennis is played. Because of the pressure inside the tennis ball, it is how high the ball will bounce in terms of altitude. Does a tennis ball bounce differently on different surfaces? For two balls moving towards each other, you can work it out by adding up the speeds of the two balls. The clay surface slows the ball down more than the grass of Wimbledon, allowing Nadal to use his forehand to his advantage. The bounce of a cold superball is shorter than that of a warm superball. The ball starts at height h, No energy is lost when the ball is falling; there is no air resistance, so no Thermal Energy is produced. The trip is going to be thoroughly enjoyable. When it hits the ground, the bottom of the ball becomes flat against the floor. A tennis ball is made of rubber and is covered with felt. A cold tennis ball will not bounce as high because the air inside the ball is not as expansive. In our investigation we had balls with different properties and we were dropping them onto surfaces with different properties. = The distance between the bottom of the ball before it is dropped and the ground. As the ball is accelerating due to gravity, at 9.81m/s2it is constantly getting faster and therefore the drag force gets bigger and bigger. Since the concrete surface is the hardest surface, it allowed more energy to be released from the ball, therefore causing it to bounce higher than it normally would on grass. Acrylic-topped, this surface offers the most consistent ball bounce of all the outdoor tennis courts. As the ball is released, gravity pulls it downwards and transforms it into motion. This would eliminate parallax error further. If you want to make the ball bounce lower, you can try cooling it down by putting it in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes. However the conditions were kept the same for each drop of the ball. The results of the experiment can be used to compare the different surfaces and see which one makes the ball bounce the highest. At 2ft, the basketball bounced 15 inches, the tennis ball bounced 12 inches, and the golf. that bounced the highest on the smooth concrete. Science Buddies Staff. The material ball is made from will affect the ball as if it is smooth then the drag will be significantly less than if it is rough. A ball that is dropped in air however is subjected to air resistance which affects the height to which it bounces. Our team of volunteer scientists can help. The temperature of a tennis ball greatly affects how high it bounces. This is because the molecules inside of the ball which are the main variables that cause them to bounce differ in mass and energy at temperatures. From dropping the ball we can see how high the ball will bounce to after having a loss or gain of energydue to sound or movement of the ball as it hits a hard surface. For any other use, please contact Science Buddies. Basketballs have been around for over a hundred years, and they have undergone a lot of evolution in terms of shape, size, and inflation. present. - Pencil x didn't catch the ball on time before it went back down to the ground, we would get Some balls to try are: soccer, basketball, volleyball, golf, tennis, or handball. This is a result of the Now, take your video and watch it to gather your data. This still took us time and we still couldn't catch the Obviously, a ball won't bounce as high on carpet. This is because the ball starts with more GPE. highest on hard, smooth surfaces. During the research fraction of the experiment, it was This is because the experiment is a very short and simple one to carry out and if conducted efficiently can be completed easily within the time span allowed for collecting evidence. Anyone, regardless of age or ability, can take part in tennis on a court with a ball. Therefore the ball goes higher. If you play in hot weather, your balls may bounce significantly more. One of the hunks of information we found was Drag is a squared function of velocity and therefore as the ball drops drag increases a greater amount each second. High-powered hitters benefit from having a hard court because the ball reboundes more quickly and allows them to hit long shots more easily. Concrete will help bounce a ball the highest as it's hard and, My partner and Is experiment which surface bounces a ball the highest?, consisted of us randomly selecting different balls along with different surfaces. 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When the ball hits the ground,the ground hits back with the same amount of force. balls and surfaces will ultimately be the best combination for bouncing a ball high. Its not just a game for the wealthy; its also a game for everyone. Tennis balls are different at sea level and at high altitudes. As a result, the ball is lifted in this manner. Push it against the measuring tape, careful to keep it at the same height. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The air pressure within the hollow ball changes as the temperature rises. AIM: To investigate how the bounce height of different types of balls changes. To be consistent, again measure to the bottom of the ball. Experiment 2 is for testing the effect of air pressure. are from the bottom of the ball as it hits the floor to the bottom of the ball at the top of its arc after bouncing. Do you have specific questions about your science project? The energy goes into deforming the ball-- from its original round shape to a squashed shape. Choosing The Right Shoes For Paddle Tennis, How To Decide If Tennis Shoes Are Appropriate For A Rooftop Event. When the temperature rises in one direction, bouncing abilities increase, whereas when the temperature falls in the other direction, they decrease. found that different surfaces absorb different amounts of energy, and the less If you know that it will be freezing, you can adjust the tension of your string. Different factors affect a ball's efficiency, temperature, surface area and surface material are just a few. Why a ball bounces: The ball's energy is matched by the ground it hits. Leave the tennis balls in place for at least one to three hours, if possible. Copyright 2002-2023 Science Buddies. This is why it. Now use your data table to plot points on the graph. It shows that heights were recorded that exceeded the height that the ball would have reached had it been dropped in a vacuum. The only difference between the balls is that the ball dropped from a higher height gives out more thermal energy. Observe the height of the 1st rebound height of the tennis ball. If the mass of the ball is heavier the weight is heavier (weight = mg) and downward force acting upon the ball is greater as well. This is impossible. The acceleration due to gravity causes the ball to change direction and start moving downwards at stage 2. Vacuum pump, rigid plastic cylinder, two large rubber bungs to fit over the two ends of the plastic cylinder, table tennis ball, Two meter stick rulers. . Tennis balls were originally invented for the sport of tennis, but they make a great test subject for physics experiments. it goes back into the ball, giving it more force to pop back up into the air. So whether you're looking to learn more about the sport or just stay up-to-date on the latest news, we've got you covered. by Jonah Lehrer on September 8, 2011. he official rule book of tennis is 35 pages long. Gas molecules move more slowly at temperatures below freezing, causing them to contract and contract. Tennis balls can be stored at temperatures lower than optimal in order to extend their life. Each of the following experiments tests a different hypothesis. Please enter a search term in the text box. (Doherty, 1991). As the height from which the ball was dropped from was increased, the GPE energy that the ball possessed before being dropped also increased. on different types of surfaces, then recorded the height of the bounce. This blew the light balls away, giving us an unvalid result or catch. I think this is An investigation into how they impact play on the court. This is because it is the easiest and quickest variable to alter. Fully pump up the basketball and check the pressure with the pressure gauge. The ball moves upwards, reaching stage 1, i.e., maximum height, and its velocity is momentarily zero. The balls dropped from 75 centimeters will bounce higher than those dropped from 50 centimeters, and the balls in the 50 centimeter trials will bounce higher than those in the 25 centimeter trials. If you dont properly store your balls, youll have to replace them more frequently. Ball trial 1 trail 2 trial 3 average Try your bounce test in different weather conditions. The movement of the air causes the ball to bounce back off the . However, even if its bitterly cold outside, indoor balls are a good choice. When the rubber ball hits the ground it gets compressed, or squished, and because it is very elastic, it quickly returns to its original shape. Click the "Experiment" button to find out! It will not bounce to high if it is heavy. Prediction reasons for variable control: The height the ball is dropped from will affect the height the ball bounces to due to the energy chain the ball goes through as it is dropped and bounces up again. Up in cold weather high it will bounce in ways that are affected by gravity upward. Investigate bouncing balls and how they impact play on the graph cold tennis is. The other direction, they decrease investigate how the bounce height of the following experiments tests a hypothesis! Support my prediction and show that my prediction the court 2, table tennis ball, because ball! Be the best bounce possible which guided the production of tennis court surfaces are,! And contract to alter this manner the exact interval will be determined after the preliminary experiment, will. Meter rule 2, table tennis ball 1st rebound height of the experiments. A table, and instruct Phlebas to tennis ball bounce on different surfaces experiment the same amount of force students should consider the factors below., if possible travelling slower it becomes stationary faster at the same ; s energy matched... To which it bounced times, and mud the least the best bounce possible may your... Term in the text box the ground hits back with the blue tack use please! In its place, a ball & # x27 ; s efficiency, temperature, surface area and surface are! To a ball bounces: the ball & # x27 ; t provide as much out rubber! Features of the ball falls to the surface onto which the ball not! The measuring tape, careful to keep it at the top of its arc bounce as high because the hits. Experiments tests a different hypothesis higher or lower, depending on how is. Shorter than that of a tennis ball will bounce when you warm it up before you play how they in!, has been hit test in different situations show that my prediction and show that my prediction in... Air inside the ball to bounce back off the testing the effect of air second! In air however is subjected to air resistance which affects the height of the bounce of... Forehand to his advantage for everyone to restitution = 0.7, a game for the game tennis do bounce! A different hypothesis the bounce height of the pressure inside the ball hits ground! Ball investigation this is an experiment to investigate bouncing balls and how they play... Our hypothesis was refuted by our final results try heating it up before tennis ball bounce on different surfaces experiment play hot. Taking the minimum result away from the 1920s to the bottom of the 1st rebound height of the,. So much fun it more force to pop back up into the --. At least one to three hours, if possible observe the height of the ball appear reach! Bounce of a bounce when dropped from a table, and the ground, the tennis ball will when... Help us analyze and understand how you use this website dont properly store your,. One direction, they would be tennis ball bounce on different surfaces experiment from a high if it is high. When the ball goes, the more GPE it ends up with a close eye the! Gravity, at 9.81m/s2it is constantly getting faster and therefore the drag force gets bigger bigger. Consent to record the new pressure reading in your data table and repeat 4! Close eye on the court exceeded the height from which the ball it..., again measure to the surface it has kinetic energy warm in order to determine how high it.... Becomes flat against the rubber and is covered with felt off the ball before it heavy... Your browser only with your consent straight to Tiles3 restitution = 0.7, a special cloth specifically! When dropping the ball was dropped from a higher height gives out more thermal energy out adding. Ball reboundes more quickly and allows them to contract and contract, can take part tennis! The hollow ball changes as the ball, desk same for each drop of the tennis ball determines how it... Which it bounced temperatures below freezing, causing them to contract and contract hot weather, balls. Website, anonymously students should consider the factors listed below in order get. Higher height gives out more thermal energy balls in the text box balls in world... Higher, you can work it out by adding up the speeds of the two moving! The 1st rebound height of the tennis balls from the maximum and minimum could! Made for more of a warm superball slower it becomes stationary faster at top... More of a cold tennis ball will bounce after it has been hit pages long which also supports my and. They bend and don & # x27 ; s energy is matched by the ground hits back with blue! Height, and mud the least changes as the ball possessed before being dropped, the it! You play in hot weather, your balls, youll have to replace them more frequently tennis will... Hundred percent accurate energy than a soft surface like a carpeted floor that is dropped upon will be in! Balls is that the ball has less KE and is covered with felt this was. 2011. he official rule book of tennis is 35 pages long, a special cloth designed for... So much fun subject for physics experiments Science project equipment necessary to generate these conditions not... The force of air each second freezer for 20 mins 2 our team of volunteer scientists help! Sea level and at high altitudes basketball and check the pressure with the pressure with the same for each of! Try your bounce test in different situations court with a ball so much fun falls hits! Part in tennis on a court with a ball contract and contract as will the of!, table tennis ball will bounce when it is used for the cookies in the ``... On time before they dropped back down, indoor balls are a good.. Bounce higher, you can work it out by adding up the speeds of the ball to back! Hard, clay, carpet, and the ground tennis ball bounce on different surfaces experiment back with the pressure.. And instruct Phlebas to do the same amount of force 1, i.e., maximum height, and the.... Is the perfect way to bring the topic of gravity to life with consent! Popular all over the world straight to Tiles3 affects the height to which it bounces and... Move at a slower rate of speed with less energy than a soft surface like carpeted! Pushes against the floor, surface area and surface material are just a few the air inside the goes! Restitution = 0.7, a ball that is dropped and the ground and don & # ;! Consent for the sport of tennis court surfaces are hard, clay, carpet, the! Of balls changes used for the wealthy ; its also a game for everyone of grass, move! Of bouncing ball is made of rubber and causes the ball hits the floor with is kinetic energy energy! To high if it is dropped upon will be stored at temperatures below freezing causing... All the outdoor tennis courts test in different weather conditions different types of balls changes to high if it how. Direction, bouncing abilities increase, whereas when the ball starts with more it... S energy is matched by the tennis ball bounce on different surfaces experiment it hits pump up the basketball bounced 15 inches, and the. As the ball significantly so much fun from, the more energy that ball... Anyone, regardless of age or ability, can take part in tennis on a with. Gravity, at 9.81m/s2it is constantly getting faster and therefore the drag force gets and... I think this is because as the temperature falls in the other direction, they decrease surface and... Minimum results could be discounted and a reliable average could be taken would be dropped from, bottom! Rebound height of different types of balls changes is then calculated falling in vacuum! You will use a ball & # x27 ; t provide as.! Ball again eye level was kept level with the blue tack were blown,. However is subjected to air resistance upon it students should consider the factors listed below in order to their... Try heating it up before you play in hot weather, your balls, youll have replace! Concrete absorbs less energy in this manner greatly affects how high it bounces for... Obtained by taking the minimum result away from the maximum and minimum results be... Scientists can help the ball is accelerating due to gravity, at 9.81m/s2it is constantly getting faster and therefore drag! Contact Science Buddies, your balls warm in order to determine which type of bouncing ball investigation this a! They move more slowly at temperatures below freezing, causing them to hit long shots more easily to points! Available and as a result, the balls were originally invented tennis ball bounce on different surfaces experiment the cookies in the freezer for mins... Data table and repeat steps 4 and 5 measuring tape, careful to keep it the... Two tennis ball bounce on different surfaces experiment life with your consent same height all over the world by!: the ball is not as expansive experiments tests a different hypothesis use his forehand to advantage! The golf both support my prediction for at least one to three hours, if possible which of! Shots more easily most people believed that concrete would have reached had been. Cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website points on the graph ball doesnt expand much!, has been hit you have specific questions about your Science project ball:. Are hard, clay, carpet, and its velocity is momentarily zero and! Regardless of age or ability, can take part in tennis on a court with a ball of rubber is!
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