Although most sports balls will bounce when hitting hard surfaces, not all balls have such properties. Clay balls, for example, may either bounce or stick, depending on the consistency of clay. Some clay balls may even shatter upon contact, due to fragility.
In order to compare bouncing and sticking properties of various types of balls, consider the following graph, excerpted from Bounce, Roll, & Fly: The Science of Balls, Volume 8 from Schottenbauer Publishing.
Discussion Questions
- What is the initial position of each ball? Write the coordinates in terms of (x, y) pairs.
- Which ball is initially higher?
- Which ball falls faster? Why is this the case?
- What is the time difference between points of contact with the wood?
- Do both balls bounce? Cite data from the graph to answer the question. What is the height of bounce?
Many sports involve a swinging action. Depending on the sport, it may be clubs, bats, rackets, arms, and/or feet which are swung.
Variations in swinging technique lead to massive differences in results. Take a moment to consider the natural swinging motion of a golf club. The following graph is excerpted from Golf Science, Volume 1 from Schottenbauer Publishing.
Discussion Questions:
- What are the maximum and minimum x positions of the club? The y positions? Write these as coordinate pairs (x, y).
- Sketch the real positions of the club, during the first swing back and forth. Does the club begin at the right or left?
- How many times does the club swing in the graph?
- How does an athletic swing of the club differ from the natural swing of the club?
