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    Home » Early Years Science » Why do balls bounce?

    Why do balls bounce?

    July 10, 2016 By Emma Vanstone Leave a Comment

    Why do balls bounce? Have you ever wondered? This activity uses different shaped balls to investigate how and why balls bounce differently.

    Balls to use:

    • Rugby ball
    • Football
    • Tennis Ball
    • Ping pong Ball
    • Basketball
    • Squash ball

    Look at the different shaped balls and try bouncing them on the floor. What do you notice?

    Things to think about

    Which ball do you think will be the hardest to bounce in the direction you want it to bounce?

    Are there any similarities between the balls that bounce the highest? what kind of sport are they used for?

    Can you bounce each ball into a container? Are some harder than others? Is this related to the type of game they are usually used for?

    Balls in a container for a bouncing science investigation

    More investigation ideas

    Try dropping the ball with no extra force and then applying force, which bounces higher?

    Which do you think will bounce straight upwards?

    When comparing how different balls bounce, think about the conditions you should keep the same, for example, the height the ball is dropped from and force used to drop the ball.

    Why do balls bounce?

    When a ball is dropped gravity pulls the ball toward the ground, slowing the ball down so that each bounce is shorter and shorter, until eventually the ball stops bouncing.

    The force of the ball hitting the hard ground puts an equal force back onto the ball, meaning it bounces back up. This happens because balls are made out of an elastic material which allows them to be squashed or stretched and then return to their original shape. If the ball was made of a softer material, like plasticine it would be squashed on the ground and wouldn’t bounce back up, or if it was made of a hard material, such as glass it would break when dropped.

    Extension ideas

    Try bouncing your balls on different surfaces, why do you think this will make a difference?

    Suitable for Key stage 1 Science

    Properties of Materials 

    More Sporty Science for Kids

    Test your reaction time using just a ruler! This is great fun to do with a friend to find out who has the fastest reaction time. You can also investigate to find out if your reaction time can be improved.

    Try one of my 20 easy sports science investigations for kids! These include finding out how much sugar certain drinks contain, how to keep bones strong and healthy and even making a model lung!

    Try this fun investigation into skipping rope lengths from Science Buddies.

    We’ve also got lots more exciting science experiments to try. I’d love you to take a look around!

    Don’t forget to tag me on social media if you try any of our easy science experiments for kids. We loved seeing them in action!

    Discover why balls bounce in this easy sport science experiment #scienceforkids #sportyscienceforkids #sportsscience

    Last Updated on April 15, 2020 by Emma Vanstone

    « Everything you need for a great science morning #scienceshare
    A Chair for Goldilocks »

    Safety Notice

    Science Sparks ( Wild Sparks Enterprises Ltd ) are not liable for the actions of activity of any person who uses the information in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources. Science Sparks assume no liability with regard to injuries or damage to property that may occur as a result of using the information and carrying out the practical activities contained in this resource or in any of the suggested further resources.

    These activities are designed to be carried out by children working with a parent, guardian or other appropriate adult. The adult involved is fully responsible for ensuring that the activities are carried out safely.

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