When a ball bounces on the ground, the ball and the ground exert forces on each other according to Newton's third law of motion, which states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Initially, when the ball hits the ground, the ball exerts a downward force on the ground, and the ground exerts an equal but opposite upward force on the ball. This force causes the ball to deform.
As the ball deforms, the potential energy is stored in the ball, which then gets converted into kinetic energy as the ball starts to regain its shape and move upwards. This upward motion is a result of the reaction force exerted by the ground on the ball.
Once the ball reaches its maximum height during the bounce, it starts to move downwards again due to the gravitational force acting on it. As it descends, the ground exerts a reaction force upwards, slowing down the ball's downward motion and eventually bringing it to a stop.
The cycle of deformation and restoration of the ball continues until the ball comes to rest on the ground. Throughout this process, the ball and the ground continuously exchange forces to produce the bouncing motion.
A ball bounces on the ground. How do the ball and the ground act on eachother?
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