Basketball on Hardwood

Each impact converts some mechanical energy into heat, sound and deformation.

Tap the ball to track height, velocity and energy through every bounce.

Bouncing Ball Energy Lab

Follow energy as rebound heights shrink.

Ball and surface

5.00height m

0.00velocity m/s

0bounces

Before impact: potential energy changes to kinetic energy.

Drop height5.0 m

Coefficient of restitution0.78

Ball mass0.62 kg

Gravity9.81 m/s²

Simulation speed1×

PE 100%

KE 0%

Lost 0%

“Lost” mechanical energy remains conserved overall as internal energy, sound and deformation.

Each peak is lower. For an ideal bounce, rebound height fraction is approximately e².

Teacher / Demo mode

Air resistance is neglected so the impact itself is the source of mechanical-energy loss.

The stationary ball has gravitational potential energy and no kinetic energy.

potential energy = mass × gravity × height

Potential energy decreases while kinetic energy increases. Their sum stays constant before impact.

The ball and floor deform. The rebound speed is a fraction e of the impact speed.

rebound speed = e × impact speed

Because kinetic energy depends on speed squared, the next peak height is approximately e² times the previous height.

rebound height fraction = e²

Score: 0 / 7