Bouncy Ball Synthesis

Have you ever wondered why the bouncy ball that fell from the counter didn’t rise back up to the same height it fell from? Well, we put this mystery to end once and for all. To crack this mystery I teamed up with Diana and her camera skills, Allyn and her meter stick., and me with my laser thermometer. After much Documentation, Analyzation, and update briefings to Chief Rothacker. We cracked the case and found that the ball doesn’t rise back up to the same height because. It loses its Mighty potential energy to sound and heat.

You see potential energy is converted to heat and sound. When the ball hits the surface it exerts forces to create heat and sound. That's the kaboom you hear. Even though you don’t see physical evidence of the thermal energy its stilling occurring. The reason why you can not see it is that its impact is not that large on the scale that you could recognize it immediately. Nevertheless, there is still the conversion of potential energy to thermal energy occurring, as well as potential energy to acoustic energy.

There still exists the conversion of potential energy to kinetic energy as well as the conversion kinetic energy to potential energy. These particular conversions take place at the beginning of the process and the end. For instance, before Allyn lets go of the ball it had the potential energy to fall down. After she lets it go that potential energy is now kinetic energy. Since it's in motion now its lost the potential to get in motion but instead it's moving now giving it kinetic energy. And vice verse at the end of the