Tennis Ball Bouncing Effects
Most recent answer: 11/01/2012
Q:
What are some factors that affects the bounce of a tennis ball? Thank you.
-Sean
- Sean (age 12)
Warren, Rhode Island
- Sean (age 12)
Warren, Rhode Island
A:
Hi Sean,
There are many things that can affect how a tennis ball bounces, but they all actually work in the same way. How high a tennis ball bounces depends on how much energy it loses when it hits the ground. Most of the lost energy goes into 'squishing' the ball, so things that make the ball less squishy will make it bounce higher.
There are lots of questions about bouncing tennis balls on this site. I bet if you look up some of them you'll be able to answer them yourself by thinking about what would make the tennis ball more or less squishy.
-Henry H.
There are many things that can affect how a tennis ball bounces, but they all actually work in the same way. How high a tennis ball bounces depends on how much energy it loses when it hits the ground. Most of the lost energy goes into 'squishing' the ball, so things that make the ball less squishy will make it bounce higher.
There are lots of questions about bouncing tennis balls on this site. I bet if you look up some of them you'll be able to answer them yourself by thinking about what would make the tennis ball more or less squishy.
-Henry H.
(published on 11/01/2012)