Squash Ball Investigation

Squash Ball Investigation

Aim

The aim of my investigation is to investigate the factors which affect

the bounce height of a squash ball.

Factors I could investigate

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1. Surface

2. Height

3. Weight of ball

4. Types of ball (dot colour)

5. Temperature of ball

Chosen variable

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I have chosen to change the height that I drop the squash ball from,

as the other possible variables would be unsuitable for our

investigation.

Changing the hardness of the surface would be difficult to do, as it

is hard to measure the hardness of the surface.

Changing the weight of the ball would be difficult, as you can’t

accurately change the weight of the ball manually unless you buy

different weight balls, and we don’t have enough time to do it.

The types of ball would be complicated to record, as you would be

looking the dot colour and this would be hard to do in our situation

(with not enough squash balls to go around.)

The temperature would be difficult to change as there aren’t enough

water baths in the classroom and as the temperature would have to go

up quite high there is also a safety hazard.

Therefore, changing the height the ball is dropped from is the easiest

and best option to choose.

Prediction

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I predict that when you have a higher drop height, the ball will

bounce higher.

Reason for Prediction

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This is because when you drop the squash ball from a greater height

there is more Gravitational Potential Energy, which will be converted

to make the ball bounce higher.

When the ball is dropped from a greater height, it will bounce higher.

When dropped from 1m, for example, it has maximum Gravitational

Potential Energy (GPE). This energy then converts to kinetic when

falling, and when it hits the floor, some more energy is lost through