Understanding basketball energy when dribbled

[ninabasketball]

Hi,
I found the Science Buddy Project - How much energy does dribbling take?
Instead of testing different surfaces for dribbling, I tested how high different types of basketballs bounce on the same surface.
I tested a rubber basketball, a weighted basketball and a leather basketball.
I found the average bounce height when dropped from 100 cm. The rubber ball bounced the highest, the leather ball was in the middle and the weighted basketball bounced the lowest.

I also measured mass and found the potential energy for each.
The mass for each was rubber - .521 kg
leather .543kg
weighted 1.351 kg

I am having trouble explaining why the rubber ball bounced back the highest. It weighed the least and had the least potential energy. Why didn't the ball with the most potential energy bounce back the highest?

I know friction, heat and sound play a role. They have similar bumps on their surface.

Also, the leather ball seems like it compresses the most. So why wouldn't it bounce higher than the rubber?

Thank you to any one that can help.

[norman40]

Hi ninabasketball,

A dropped ball gains kinetic energy due to its motion. When the ball hits the floor it momentarily stops and the kinetic energy goes into deforming the ball. If the ball is very elastic it easily springs back to its original shape and bounces high. A less elastic ball will not spring back as easily and will not bounce as high.

There's a Science Buddies project that explores how the air pressure inside a ball affects how high it will bounce. The background information should be useful and you may want to try the experiment:

https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... cs#summary

The following links have additional information about the physics involved with bouncing balls:

https://www.real-world-physics-problems ... ysics.html

https://www.khanacademy.org/partner-con ... f-bouncing

I hope this helps. Please ask again if you have more questions.

A. Norman

[ninabasketball]

Thanks A. Norman.

I will check those links out. They look like they will help.