Bounce

The coefficient of restitution

An interactive lesson with 6 steps, about 5 minutes: you predict, drag and solve, with instant feedback on every answer. It runs in your browser and needs JavaScript.

What you’ll learn

• Coefficient of restitution $e$ = speed after ÷ speed before.
• Bounce height ratio $= e^2$.
• Successive bounce heights form a geometric sequence.

Steps

1. How bouncy is a ball?
2. Measure e
3. Bounce after bounce
4. Total distance
5. Bounce by bounce
6. Warming up the ball