Introduction

This lab is an investigation of the effect of drop height on the bounce of a ball. In this experiment 5
basket balls of the same size, make and inflated to the same pressure are dropped from 8 different
heights heights. The bounce height calculated based on the height of the first bounce of the ball.
The number of bounces before the ball rests are also counted to observe the relationship. The
bounce efficiency is then calculated based on the gravitational potential energy.

Research Question
How does the bounce of a ball depend upon the height from which it is dropped?.

Independent variable
The height from which the ball is dropped

Dependent variable
The height of the bounce and the number of bounces before the ball rests

Controlled Variables
Identical balls
The method of release from height
The bouncing surface
The inflation pressure
The weather conditions in the room
Mass of the ball

Hypothesis
If the drop height increases, the bounce height and the number of bounces will increase, as the
increase in height will increase the gravitational potential energy which gets converted into kinetic
energy on rebound.

List of Apparatus used

1. Identical basket balls – 3 nos.
2. Level adjustable table to change the drop height
3. Cardboard box with a double-flapped trap door
4. Metre scale – 2 nos.
5. A person to count the number of bounces of the ball, one to record the height of the first
bounce
6. A smooth bouncing surface
7. Digital pressure gauge/inflator to inflate all the balls to the same pressure.
Diagram

Method
Measuring the variables
A large cardboard box with a double flapped trapdoor like opening is placed on the edge of the
table. It is glued to the table using plastic tape to make sure that it does not move. The basket ball is
kept inside the box. The ball was allowed to fall by releasing the trapdoor flaps. This method was
adopted to eliminate human force to push the ball and to standardise the drop height. The
experiment is conducted in a room kept at constant temperature and no inlet for breeze/wind. The
ball was allowed to drop from the box on a smooth, flat concrete floor. A meter scale was used to
measure the bounce height. The meter scale was fixed to the edge of the table. As the ball fell out of
the box and bounced, the height of the bounce was measured and recorded using the metre scale.
The number of bounces were also counted and recorded. 5 identical balls are dropped from 8
different heights. The person who measured the height of the bounce squatted on the floor to avoid
parallax error.
Controlling the controlled variables.
The room was kept under air conditioner to ensure that the temperature was standardised. All
windows and doors were closed to keep out any draft. Identical basketballs were used to ensure
uniformity in quality. The balls were all inflated to 7.5 pounds pressure using an inflator with a digital
indicator and pressure gauge. The mass of all the balls is maintained at 0.566 kgs.

All 5 balls were dropped from heights 25cms, 50cms, 75cms,100cms,125cms, 150cms,175cms,
200cms. The experiment was therefore repeated 5 times for 8 different heights. The readings were
then averaged to ensure accuracy.
Results
Raw Data Table
The table 1 below shows the data for 8 different drop heights of each of the 5 balls. Measurements
were taken from the bottom of the ball to the floor. The uncertainty for a metre scale is the least
count /2, which is 1mm/2 =0.05cm.
The average bounce height is the sum of the measure of the height of the first bounce of all 5 balls
divided by 5
e.g. h1 +h2+h3=h4+h5+h6+h7+h8
5

Drop Height hi measured (centimetres) ±0.05m

25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200
Ball 1
Ball 2
Ball 3
Ball 4
Ball 5
Average
bounce
height
ho
(metres)
±0.05c
m

Table 2 shows the average bounce height of the ball for each drop height
Drop height 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200
hi in cm
±0.05cm
Average
bounce
height ho in
cm ±0.05cm

Table 3 shows the bounces of each of the 5 balls for various drop heights.

Drop height (centimetres)±0.05cm

25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200

Ball 1
Ball 2

Ball 3
 Ball 4

Ball 5
Average
bounce
s

Drop height 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200

hi in cm
±0.05cm
Average
bounces

Data processing
Drop height (centimetres)±0.05cm
25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200
Bounce
height in
cms
±0.05cm
Number
of
bounces

The bounce efficiency µ = Gravitational Potential Energy output Eo X100

Gravitaional potential Energy input E i

Gravitational potential Energy (E) = mgh where m is the mass of the ball, g is the gravitational
acceleration and h is the height of the body.

Where Ei = mghi is the potential energy before the ball drops down and E o = mgho is the potential
energy when the ball is on rebound.

Ball Drop height in cms ±0.05cms

25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200
Gravitational
Potential
Energy Ei in
Joules
Rebound
Gravitational
Potential
Energy Eo in
 Joules
Bounce
Efficiency µ

Graphs
Graph 1:
Shows the bounce height for various drop heights. It is seen that with increase in drop height, the
bounce height is also higher.

Drop height vs bounce height

250
Drop height in cms ±0.05cm

200

150

100

50

0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Average bounce height ho in cm ±0.05cm

Average bounce height ho in cm ±0.05cm

Graph 2
Shows the relationship between the drop height and the bounces of the ball. As seen in the graph,
the number of bounces increases with higher drop heights.

drop height vs bounces

250
Drop height in cms ±0.05cm

200

150

100

50

0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
bounces

Average bounces
Graph 3
Shows the bounce efficiency of the balls with respect to drop height.

Bounce Efficiency µ vs. drop height

12

10
bounce efficiency

Conclusion
All three graphs show that drop height of a ball certainly affects the bounce of the ball. While the
bounce height does increase with the drop height, it is not a significant differene. Intitially, although
the the number of bounces increased with drop height, the bounces decrease between 1.5 metres
and 2 metres. The bounce efficiency remains fairly consistent through the drop heights. Which is
against our hypothesis that the bounce height, bounces and therefore the bounce efficiency will
increase with increase in drop heights.

Evaluation
The findings of the investigation were not consistent with the hypothesis. The assumption was that
with increase in drop height, the bounce height will increase and so will the number of bounces and
the bounce efficiency. However, the graphs and the physical observation indicate otherwise. While
there is a marginal increase in the bounce height during the initial increments, the bounce height
and the number of bounces actually decreased with the last few incremental drop heights. This
could have been because the ball has to face increased air friction resistance when falling from
higher levels.
There were limitations to the experiment.