Bouncy

Question

Find the average force exerted by a bouncing ball on the floor as it repeatedly bounces. Assume 100% restitution, i.e., the speed just after the bounce is equal to the speed just before, and there is no kinetic energy lost during the bounce. Layer 1 y h t T t F Floor on Ball

Solution

The change in momentum during the bounce is equal to the impulse, and the impulse is the average force times the time period between bounces. We only need to calculate the impulse for one period because all bounces are the same and the overall average force over many bounces is the same as for one complete period. $$\int_{-T/2}^{T/2}F(t)dt = \Delta p$$ $$ F_{\rm avg}T = m (v_a - v_b)=2mv_b$$ Where $v_a$ is the velocity of the ball just after the bounce and $v_b$ the velocity just before the bounce. We are assuming 100% restitution, no K.E. loss for the bounce, so $v_a = -v_b$.

The period is twice the time it takes to fall from height $h$ starting from rest. $$\frac{1}{2}gt_{\rm fall}^2 = h$$ $$t_{\rm fall} = \sqrt{2h/g}$$ $$ T = 2\sqrt{2h/g}$$ The speed at which the ball hits the ground can be got by conservation of mechanical energy: $$\frac{1}{2} mv_b^2 = mgh$$ $$ v_b = \sqrt{2gh}$$ $$\Delta p = 2m\sqrt{2gh}$$ $$F_{\rm avg} = \frac{\Delta p}{T} = \frac{ 2m\sqrt{2gh}}{ 2\sqrt{2h/g}}$$ $$ F_{\rm avg} =\frac{ \cancel{2}m\sqrt{\cancel{2}g\cancel{h}}}{ \cancel{2}\sqrt{\cancel{2}\cancel{h}/g}} = mg$$ The average force by the ball on the floor is equal in magnitude and it is the same as when the ball is resting on the floor.

Bouncing Ball with Energy Loss

Assume the ball rebounds with less energy so that the kinetic energy after rebound compared to that just before is $$K_{after} = \eta K_{before}$$ as shown in this figure

The average force is equal to the impulse divided by the time interval between bounces. Measure the time interval between the two highest points of the bounce. The starting height is h and by conservation of energy the next highest point it reaches is ηh. \begin{aligned} \Delta t =&~ t_{\rm fall} + t_{\rm rise}\\ =& \sqrt{2h/g} + \sqrt{2\eta h/g}\\ =& \sqrt{2h/g}(1+\sqrt{\eta}) \end{aligned} The change in momentum is equal to the impulse: \begin{aligned} \Delta p =&~ p_{\rm f} - p_{\rm i}\\ =&~ m v_{\rm f}-mv_{\rm i}\\ =& -m \eta v_{\rm i}-mv_{\rm i}\\ =& \sqrt{2g\eta h} +\sqrt{2g h}\\ =&\sqrt{2g h}(1+\sqrt{\eta}) \end{aligned} Finally divide impulse by time interval to get the average force. \begin{aligned} F_{\rm avg} =& \frac{\Delta p}{\Delta t}\\ =& \frac{\sqrt{2g h}(1+\sqrt{\eta})}{\sqrt{2 h/g}(1+\sqrt{\eta})}\\ =& mg \end{aligned} A not completely unexpected result.


N. Alberding, 2013