Akmal Ariffen

July 7
th
, 2014

Teachers Prompt:
Investigate one physical aspect of a bouncing ball.
Introduction:
In this laboratory I will be investigating one physical aspect of a bouncing ball. There are
multiple factors to a bouncing ball but the one that I will be focusing on in this lab will be the
peak height of the ball after it bounces off the ground given the assigned drop height- how high
the ball bounces after being dropped at a certain height. To observer the peak height of the
ball, I will place a ruler perpendicular to the ground to create a reference point, drop the ball
from a chosen height (e.g. 40cm), and record its bounce with a camera to later observe its peak
height. This will be repeated multiple times for different heights.
Research Question:
How does the height of which the ball is initially dropped affects the height of its first bounce?
Background:
We were introduced to the concept of gravity early in the year and this practical seems to
perfectly complement it. Proof of the presence of gravity will be proven as the ball drops and
according to Newtons third law, for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction, the
gravitational force acting on the ball will be acted onto the floor, which then the floor will apply
a force equal and opposite of what the ball imposed thus making it bounce. In theory, the ball
should bounce up to the height it was first dropped.
Variables:
Independent Variable: Seven different heights at which the ball is dropped from: 20cm, 30cm,
40cm, 50cm, 60cm, 70cm, 80cm.
Dependent Variable: The peak height of the ball at first bounce.
Control Variable(s):
Ball itself (same ball)
Person dropping the ball
Person recording
Reference point (same ruler)
Dropping surface (tiled floor)
Hypothesis:
The higher the dropping distance is from the ground, the higher the ball will bounce.
Theoretically it should bounce all the way up to its initial dropping mark but since gravity is a
constant acceleration downwards and air resistance cannot be neglected, the peak height of
the ball after its first bounce will only be short of its dropping distance.
Akmal Ariffen
July 7
th
, 2014

Apparatus and Materials:
1 x bouncing ball (small rubber ball)
1 x 100cm ruler
1 x filming apparatus (phones camera)
Procedures:
Labeled Diagram:

Ruler
F
g

Tiled floor
Method for Collecting Data: The ball will be dropped from the 20cm mark and in intervals of
10cm; the maximum height will be the 80cm mark. In total, there will be seven different heights in
which the ball is dropped from. Each respective height will go through five trials. The ball will be
dropped five times at each height and every drop will be recorded. Make sure that the camera can see
the marks on the ruler so that it can be justified later.
In short, the method is:
1. Hold the ball at initial height from the ground (20cm); make sure the bottom of the ball
is at the mark, not the top.
2. Press record on camera.
3. Drop the ball.
4. Stop recording when the ball starts to drop from its peak height.
5. Repeat the process four more times.
6. Repeat the same process, in intervals of 10cm, for the rest of the heights (cm): 30 to
80cm.
Method for Controlling Variables: The same ball will be used throughout all trials, same goes
with the ruler, person dropping it, floor, and camera recording it all. Change of balls will result in
different results since not all bouncing balls have the same properties, plus dropping it onto a
carpeted floor will reduce the bounce significantly than tiled floors. The ball, surface, person
recording and dropping were initially chosen and kept consistent throughout the entire
experiment.
Safety: Keep everything isolated; do not let the ball bounce all over lab areas to avoid
equipment damages.
Rubber ball
Akmal Ariffen
July 7
th
, 2014

Data Collection:
Raw and Processed Data:
The table below represents the distances the ball bounced off and up the ground. It also showcases the
seven different dropping points of the ball on the first column and each distance was trialed five times,
as shown on the consecutive columns. The uncertainty of distance for the droppings was assigned to be
0.1cm because even if accuracy was practiced, flaws were inevitable. The uncertainty of distance due
to observation was assigned 0.5cm, more than the dropping distance; that is because observing and
judging whether the ball has reached its peak or not is a much harder task and will cause more
inaccuracies.
All measurements were measured from the bottom of the ball.
*Average Height =

Uncertainties of average = (max-min)/2
Results: Graph 1 is a graph of the seven average heights, plotted into graphing computer
software and the line of best fit was determined; the gradient was also given.





Height
(0.1cm)
Trial 1
(0.5cm)
Trial 2
(0.5cm)
Trial 3
(0.5cm)
Trial 4
(0.5cm)
Trial 5
(0.5cm)
*Average
Height
20.0 15.7 16.0 15.3 16.0 15.8 15.80.4cm
30.0 24.1 23.2 22.9 23.0 24.0 23.40.6cm
40.0 30.5 32.0 30.9 30.0 28.5 302cm
50.0 37.0 37.1 37.5 37.8 37.9 37.50.5cm
60.0 46.5 45.2 45.0 44.8 45.4 45.40.9cm
70.0 53.0 52.2 53.5 52.6 50.3 521cm
80.0 62.2 61.7 62.4 61.8 62.1 62.00.4cm
Akmal Ariffen
July 7
th
, 2014

Graph 2 represents the maximum and minimum gradients of the extremes of graph 1, based on
the uncertainties.












Calculating gradient of line of best fit:
Maximum gradient (Graph 2): 0.8401cm/cm
Minimum gradient (Graph 2): 0.7066cm/cm
Line of best fit (Graph 1): 0.7550cm/cm
Uncertainty = (max-min)/2 =

= 0.06675cm
Line of best fit: 0.76cm/cm 0.07cm
Conclusion and Evaluation
According to the data presented, the hypothesis is proven to be accurate; the higher the height from
which the ball is dropped from the higher the height of the first bounce. Graph 1 shows a significant
linear relationship because the line of best fit is within the uncertainties assigned (0.5cm). This states
that the experiment conducted, with the chosen independent variable and tested dependent variable,
create and produce a directly positive correlation amongst them. Almost all of the points plotted in
graph 1 are touching the line of best fit except for the height at 80cm, which is 62cm. The point at height
80 cm is slightly off the line of best fit but it is still within the uncertainty range.

Akmal Ariffen
July 7
th
, 2014

Through graph 2, we discovered that the uncertainty for the gradient of line of best fit is 0.07cm,
making the final gradient to be 0.76cm/cm 0.07cm. The gradient states that for every centimeter
increased in height of which the ball is dropped from, the ball will bounce 0.76cm 0.07cm at its first
bounce.
Surely, the data collected is not the most accurate, there has to be a degree of systematic error. Based
on the uncertainty calculated from graph 2, the percentage uncertainty from its gradient, 0.76cm/cm, is

x 100 = 9.21%. The level of inaccuracy itself is lower than 10% which means that the degree of
systematic error itself minutely affected the data.
The maximum and minimum gradients also intersect at 50cm, which is the center of the independent
value, minimizing the systematic error to almost zero. This in itself justified that the experiment was
conducted successfully.
Regardless of the small systematic error, there were consistent trajectory flaws. The ball would not
bounce straight up but rather to the side, making the measurements farther off than what it should be.
The higher the ball is dropped from the harder it is to keep it straight, a slight touch on one side will
cause the ball to lose its vertical component and some of it will go to horizontal. This can be seen on
graph 1 because as the height increases, the further away the points are from the line of best fit. The
last height, at 80cm, is almost considered an outlier if it was not for the 0.05cm uncertainty.
Keeping the constant variables controlled was not an issue at all. There were no difficulties in using the
same ruler throughout the entire experiment, same ball, person dropping and person recording; the one
thing that was hard keeping consistent was making sure the ball has almost no horizontal component as
it bounces its way up.
The equipments used were basic classroom materials so implementing them into my experiment was
not difficult at all because the tools were not foreign. Keeping the ball straight was an issue stated
earlier, but keeping the ruler straight was also a problem. Although it might be placed a few degrees off
of 180 (perpendicular to the ground), it was a consistent systematic error.
The number of repetitions was excellent for time management because I did seven different heights and
five trials each, totaling 35 drops. The whole process took about no more than twenty minutes and the
only factor that would extend time is improper execution (e.g. accidentally drop it without filming or if
the ball touches the ruler, which significantly slows it down).
Problems and Improvements
Since gravity and air resistant were constants, the ball should bounce at a consistent height based on its
drop height. But since the action of dropping itself was not, it opened up to degrees of uncertainties. In
theory, the points on the graph should plot a straight line without having to find the line of best fit.
Some of the causes of inconsistent drops were the process of dropping. This allows for fingers to get in
the way and cause the ball to steer to different directions in addition to downwards. Although slightly
Akmal Ariffen
July 7
th
, 2014

inconvenient, a contraption could have been built to release the ball upon a trigger to minimize such
interruptions.
Another factor that took part in the uncertainty values is the recording angle. Despite the fact that the
camera was kept still throughout recording, the angle of recording would not give me the accurate
preference of bottom of the ball. To be nearly perfect, the camera had to be aligned with the bottom of
the ball at all times. If the footage was taken from the top of the ball, it would look as if the peak bounce
height is slightly less; and if the footage was taken from an angle below the ball, it would look as if the
ball bounced higher- it all depends on our perspectives. One way to fix this is to do an initial bounce first
to locate the approximate peak bounce height, and then set the camera at around that area so that
more accurate data can be taken.