Name:
Date Started:
Block/Day:
Date Completed:
Bouncing Ball LAB
You will be conducting four mini investigations. Be sure to maintain consistency (Example of constants: same
person drops; same surface; same release technique.).
Materials:
2 meters sticks
Tennis ball
Procedure:
1. Always predict bounce height (AKA: restitution) and record in data table. (This needs to be done only
once for each distance)
2. The bottom of the tennis ball should be level with desired drop height (IE: 50 cm, 75 cm, 100cn, 150
cm)
3. Drop a tennis ball three times for each height and record how high the ball bounced (restitution)
4. Calculate the average bounce height for the tennis ball and record in data table.
5. Repeat steps #1-5 at each different drop height-75 cm, 100 cm, and 150 cm.
Tennis Ball
Drop Height
Prediction
Bounce Height
50 cm
50 cm
XXXXXXXXXXX
50 cm
XXXXXXXXXXX
Average bounce height: _____________
% Error: ______________
Tennis Ball
Drop Height
Prediction
Bounce Height
75 cm
75 cm
XXXXXXXXXXX
75 cm
XXXXXXXXXXX
Average bounce height: _____________
% Error: ______________
Tennis Ball
Drop Height
Prediction
100 cm
100 cm
XXXXXXXXXXX
100 cm
XXXXXXXXXXX
Average bounce height: _____________
Bounce Height
% Error: ______________
Tennis Ball
Drop Height
Prediction
150 cm
150 cm
XXXXXXXXXXX
150 cm
XXXXXXXXXXX
Average bounce height: _____________
Bounce Height
% Error: ______________
6. Graph data to show tested drop height and actual bounce height for each bouncy ball
7. Were your predictions correct? What is your average percent of Error?
8. Were your predictions more accurate as you changed the drop height? Did you adjust your hypotheses?
9. What is the manipulated variable in this investigation?
10. What is the responding variable in this investigation?
11. What are the constants (controlled variables) in this investigation?
12. Was there a control group? If so, what is it?
13. Would increasing the number of trials change the reliability of the data? If so, how?
14. Explain the relationship between drop height and actual bounce height of each ball.
15. Besides the drop height, what other variables might you change to test other relationships?
16. How would you better design this experiment? (camera…) Explain the steps you would take
Terms:
A Control group is a group separated from the rest of the experiment where the independent variable being tested cannot
influence the results
Manipulated variable (AKA: independent variable) is the one that you control
Controlled variable is the one that you keep constant
Responding variable/ variables (AKA: Output variable) is what happens as a result of the experiment