82.2k views
3 votes
The tennis ball falls off the shelf and bounces several times. Each bounce is lower than the one before. Soon the ball stops. Why doesn't the bar keep bouncing?

User JanuskaE
by
3.7k points

1 Answer

2 votes

Answer:

The tennis ball stops bouncing due to energy dissipation in the compression and decompression process.

Step-by-step explanation:

When the tennis ball collides with the ground, some of its energy is dissipated in the compression and decompression process. This process keeps on repeating and then a time comes when all of the elastic energy in the ball is exhausted and the ball stops bouncing. At this point, the elastic energy stored in the ball is so small that it cannot overcome its own weight therefore, it stops bouncing.

User Robert Kniazidis
by
4.9k points