# Forces on a steel ball of mass Question

1. May 18, 2008

### looi76

1. The problem statement, all variables and given/known data
A steel ball of mass $$73g$$ is held above a horizontal steel plate, as illustrated in the figure below.

The ball is dropped from rest and it bounces on the plate, reaching a height h.

(a) Calculate the speed of ball as it reaches the plate.

(b) As the ball loses contact with the plate after bouncing, the kinetic energy of the ball is $$90\%$$ of that just before bouncing. Calculate
(i) the height h to which the ball bounces.
(ii) the speed of the ball as it leaves the plate after bouncing.

(c) Using your answers to (a) and (b), determine the change in momentum of the ball during the bounce.

2. Relevant equations
$$K.E = \frac{1}{2}mv^2$$
$$P.E = mgh$$

3. The attempt at a solution
(a) $$h = 1.6m \ , \ g = 9.81 ms^{-2}$$

$$\frac{1}{2}\not{m}v^2 = \not{m}gh$$

$$v = \sqrt{2gh}$$
$$v = \sqrt{2 \times 9.81 \times 1.6}$$
$$v = 5.6 ms^{-1}$$

(b)(i) Don't know how to solve this this question... need help!

2. May 18, 2008

### danago

For b, consider the laws of conservation of energy. You can calculate the amount of mechanical energy in the ball before it bounces by considering both its velocity and height at some stage during the motion.

Once you have found the amount of energy in the ball, and then after taking into consideration the 10% loss due to the bounce, you can use the same idea of conservation of energy to find the height to which it bounces, remembering that at the top of the bounce, the ball has a speed of zero.