Ball Bounce Height Calculation
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ScribdTranslationsBall Bounce Height Calculation
Translated by
ScribdTranslationsTHERMODYNAMICS AND HEAT ENGINES Prof.
Pablo Morán
An elastic ball, which has a mass of 50 [g], is thrown from a height of 2 [m] at an initial speed of
10 [km/h]. Each time it bounces, the ball dissipates 25% of its energy.
a) ¿A que altura llega en el primer rebote? b) ¿A que altura llega en el segundo rebote?
Step 1: Presentation, problem data
At the initial moment, when we throw the ball, we are going to call it '0'.
Datos: m = 50 [gr], h0= 2 [m], v0= 10 [km/h] Energy dissipation in each bounce = 25%
Unknowns: h1y h2
Before doing anything, we will convert the magnitudes we have as data into the fundamental units of the SI.
(international system)
1 [kg]
m = 50 [ ]. = , [ ]
1000 [g]
km 1000 m 1 sec
= 10 . . = ,
ℎ 1 km 3600 h
Development:
Instant 0
At the moment '0', the ball will have a certain speed and a certain height with respect to the ground.
that is, a certain amount of MECHANICAL ENERGY (Kinetic + Potential)
1 1 .
= .. = 0.050
. kg.[ 2.78
] F = 0.193 = , [ ]
2 2
.
= . . ℎ 0.050 [ . ]9.81 m/s²2[m] = 0.981 = , [ ]
= + 0.193 [ ] + 0.981 J=
[ ] , [ ]
After releasing it, the ball begins to fall. During the fall, its potential energy transforms.
gradually into kinetic energy, but by the law of conservation of energy, the sum of both (energy
mechanics remains constant.
Moment 1
The statement indicates that each time the ball hits the ground, it "dissipates" 25% of its energy. In this
contexto, la palabra “disipar” se toma como “perder”. Es decir, que en cada impacto, la pelota pierde el 25[%]
of the mechanical energy it had. That 25 [%] of energy is actually transformed (by the deformation of the
ball) mostly into thermal energy, meaning that the ball heats up due to deformation. Part of
That energy will remain in the same ball, another part will remain on the ground.
If in the impact, the energy that is lost is 25% of what it had, it means that it retains 75%.
Therefore, the mechanical energy that the ball will have after the impact will be:
75
[ ].
= 75% = 1,174 [ =] [ ],
100
As a result of the bounce, the ball has a mechanical energy of 0.880 [J], which at first is in its
total kinetic energy, which makes it rise, but then that kinetic energy begins to decrease.
gradually, it is transformed into potential energy (but always conserving a total of
0.880[J]).
The ball will ascend, transforming its kinetic energy into potential (that is, decreasing its speed
and increasing its height), until its speed becomes 0, and at that moment we will call it 'instant 1'. In
At that moment, its speed will be 0 and its height will be at maximum. All its mechanical energy will be transformed into
potential energy, that is to say that:
= + =0+E = , [ ] → = , [ ]
.
0.880
= . .ℎ → = = = , [ ]
. 0.050 [kg9.81
] m/s²
= , [ ]
Instant 2
Upon hitting the ground again, the ball loses 25% of its mechanical energy, meaning that:
75
75% [ . ] = . 0,880 [ ] [= ] ,
100
After the second impact, everything happens just like in the first [Link] the same
reasonings, one arrives at the conclusion that:
.
0.660
= = = , [ ]
. 0.050 [kg9.81
] m/s²
= , [ ]