INTRODUCTION
The Law of Conservation of Energy states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, but can be transformed. In the experiment of releasing the tennis ball from different heights, we see energy being transformed, although the total amount of energy remains the same. However, the experiment also finds out one more issue, which is, whether or not there is a connection between the gravitational potential energy of an object and it kinetic energy. More specifically, it finds out if the release height of a tennis ball affects the height of its first bounce. This is known as the 'rebound height' .
The release height, is the amount of gravitational potential energy the tennis ball possesses in its start. It then hits the chair, losing some energy as sound and heat. It then bounces upwards again, using its remaining energy as 'fuel'. This process repeats till the ball has lost all of it energy, and it comes to a stop.
As it is being released, some energy is lost due to air resistance, or otherwise known as air friction or air force. From this action of the tennis ball(falling down), Isaac Newton's law 'Every action has an equal and an opposite reaction' is explained. The action of the ball falling down has a reaction force, which is force of the air particles that goes in the opposite direction of the tennis ball. Thus, this friction slows the ball down and thats how the tennis ball slows down.
This experiment proves that no energy is destroyed or created, but is simply transformed into different forms(like sound energy).
Moreover, the purpose of releasing the tennis ball from different heights aims to show that the height of the first bounce of the tennis ball is always small than the initial release height, as energy is lost during the ball's travel (down and up) and that the greater the release height, the greater the height of the tennis ball's first bounce.
The release height, is the amount of gravitational potential energy the tennis ball possesses in its start. It then hits the chair, losing some energy as sound and heat. It then bounces upwards again, using its remaining energy as 'fuel'. This process repeats till the ball has lost all of it energy, and it comes to a stop.
As it is being released, some energy is lost due to air resistance, or otherwise known as air friction or air force. From this action of the tennis ball(falling down), Isaac Newton's law 'Every action has an equal and an opposite reaction' is explained. The action of the ball falling down has a reaction force, which is force of the air particles that goes in the opposite direction of the tennis ball. Thus, this friction slows the ball down and thats how the tennis ball slows down.
This experiment proves that no energy is destroyed or created, but is simply transformed into different forms(like sound energy).
Moreover, the purpose of releasing the tennis ball from different heights aims to show that the height of the first bounce of the tennis ball is always small than the initial release height, as energy is lost during the ball's travel (down and up) and that the greater the release height, the greater the height of the tennis ball's first bounce.