Bounce Height and Time, Part 3

We now can find the total time.  Our laboratory experience measuring the times with a stopwatch indicated that it is best to start timing from the instant the ball hits the table, because the noise of impact helps immensely in starting timing.  So by "total time" we will mean from the instant the ball first hits the table until it stops bouncing.   

 For convenience, we set   r = R1/2    In case you enjoy big vocabulary words, R is sometimes called the elasticity coefficient while  r  is the coefficient of restitution.  

We have the relation of each bounce height and time to the first bounce height and time; now we will sum all the times. 

 

Next:  The Lowdown on Geometric Series

Previous:  Bounce Height and Time, Part 2

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          copyright: Besson and Styer, Villanova University   12/22/2007  

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