An Experiment on Bounce Heights
Introduction
- Purpose of the Experiment: The aim of this lab is to find out how the height from which a ball is dropped affects how high it bounces back up. We will look at different types of balls and see if the higher we drop them, the higher they bounce.
Hypothesis
- Proposed Relationship: I hypothesize that as the drop height increases, the bounce height will also increase. I think taller drops will lead to higher bounces.
Materials
- Different types of balls (e.g., tennis ball, basketball, golf ball)
- Measuring tape or ruler
- Stopwatch (if needed for timing bounces)
- Notebook for recording data
- A flat surface for dropping the balls
Procedure
- Get Ready: Gather all your materials and find a flat area where you can drop your balls safely.
- Measure the Drop Height: Use a measuring tape to measure the drop height. Start with 20 cm and make a note of it.
- Drop the Ball: Hold the ball at the measured height and let it go without pushing it down.
- Record the Bounce Height: After the ball bounces, measure how high it reaches. Write down this height in your notebook.
- Repeat: Do the same for 40 cm, 60 cm, 80 cm, and 100 cm drop heights. For each height, drop each type of ball (e.g., tennis ball and basketball).
- Controlled Conditions: Make sure to drop the balls from the same position every time and drop them vertically. The place where you drop should be the same for all trials.
Data and Observations
- Data Table:
| Drop Height (cm) | Bounce Height (cm) (Tennis Ball) | Bounce Height (cm) (Basketball) | |------------------|-----------------------------------|----------------------------------| | 20 | [Value] | [Value] | | 40 | [Value] | [Value] | | 60 | [Value] | [Value] | | 80 | [Value] | [Value] | | 100 | [Value] | [Value] |
- Graph: (Create a scatter plot with "Drop Height (cm)" on the x-axis and "Bounce Height (cm)" on the y-axis. Title it “Bounce Height vs. Drop Height”. Make sure to create points for each measurement and connect them.)
Analysis
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Observations: During the experiment, I noticed that when I dropped the balls from 100 cm, they usually bounced much higher than those dropped from 20 cm. The tennis ball bounced less high compared to the basketball. Sometimes the bounce height wasn’t what I expected, especially if the floor was a little uneven.
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Calculate Average Bounce Height: (You could calculate the average bounce height for each drop height, adding all the bounce heights recorded for each drop height and dividing by the number of trials.)
Conclusion
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Restate Hypothesis & Findings: My hypothesis that higher drop heights would lead to higher bounce heights was mostly supported by the results. The higher I dropped the balls, the higher they bounced in general.
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Implications of Findings: This suggests that the energy from dropping the ball transfers into the height it bounces back up. It shows how energy works when objects move and interact with surfaces.
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Suggestions for Future Research: If I were to do this experiment again, I would try dropping heavier balls and see if they bounce higher or lower than lighter ones. I would also want to test different surfaces, like grass or carpet, to see how they affect the bounce height.
References
- Science textbooks or websites that explain potential energy and kinetic energy.
- Any other materials or resources used to learn about how bouncing works.