A rubber ball bounces when dropped because of the following reasons:
- Elasticity: Rubber is an elastic material. This means that it can be stretched and deformed, but it will return to its original shape when the force is removed. When the rubber ball hits the ground, it compresses slightly. The elastic energy stored in the rubber ball is then released, causing the ball to bounce back up.
- Newton’s third law of motion: This law states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. When the rubber ball hits the ground, it exerts a force on the ground. The ground then exerts an equal and opposite force on the ball, which causes the ball to bounce back up.
- The coefficient of restitution: This is a measure of how much energy is lost when two objects collide. The coefficient of restitution for rubber is relatively high, which means that most of the energy from the collision is stored in the rubber ball and released when it bounces back up.
The height of the bounce depends on the following factors:
- The height from which the ball is dropped
- The elasticity of the rubber ball
- The coefficient of restitution
- The surface that the ball hits
The more elastic the rubber ball and the higher the coefficient of restitution, the higher the bounce will be. The smoother the surface that the ball hits, the higher the bounce will also be.
It is important to note that the rubber ball will eventually stop bouncing. This is because some of the energy from the collision is always lost to friction and heat.