Physics Demo Number: 048

Approximate Run Time: 5 min

Super Ball-Dead Ball for Conservation of Mechanical Energy or Not

Demo Description

 Two balls of about the same mass behave differently when dropped.

The Superball rebounds nearly to the height of its release.

The dead ball does not rebound at all.

Scientific Principles

• Conservation of Mechanical Energy for the Superball

• For the dead ball some of the energy goes into internal energy of the ball
  

Equipment

• Dead Ball

• Super Ball

Equipment Location

• Kit (048) on [F-4-3].

Instructions

 Drop each ball from same height above the lecture table and watch  one rebound  and the other not rebound.

Writeup created by David A. Burba

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