TO stacked ball drop The demonstration is a brilliant way to demonstrate the transfer of momentum between objects. The compression of the two larger balls causes the smaller ball to bounce much higher than it normally would.
You will need
A basketball
A tennis ball or a small basketball or soccer ball.
Table tennis ball or golf ball
Instructions for dropping three stacked balls
Keep your arms straight and release the smaller ball. Watch how high it bounces.
Place the tennis ball on top of the basketball, drop both and watch what happens.
Stack the three balls on top of each other, with the smallest one on top. Try to keep them straight. Drop them and see what happens.
What's happening?
When held in the air, each ball has a number of potential energyWhen the ball hits the ground, it compresses.
When the basketball hits the ground, it compresses slightly, storing potential energy. As the ball begins to lift off the ground, the energy is released to the smaller tennis ball, allowing it to bounce higher than it would without the basketball. The basketball transfers its greater force to the ball. impulse (of its greater mass) to the smallest ball.
You will notice that the larger balls bounce less than expected because they have lost energy compared to the smaller balls.
More scientific experiments with balls
Discover Why do balls bounce? with simple scientific research.
Try one gravity race with ball drop.
Scientific concepts
Energy
Potential energy
Impulse
Last updated on August 15, 2024 by Emma Vanstone
