Preview - Ap Physics 1 Mechanics

Introduction to dribbling a basketball

On this page you will explore the simulation below which contains a single ball falling and bouncing off the ground. 

Note: You will have to increase the speed slider to get it run at a good speed, but, if you want to explore the behavior at a certain moment, you can slow it back down. 

Questions

Please answer the questions below.

Where is the acceleration not -9.8 m/s^2? Why? What is the name of the non-gravitational force acting during contact with the floor? What is the nature of this force, i.e., gravitational or electrical?

Manipulate the value of the mass. During the initial fall, what is the different factor between the acceleration and the force graph? (Hint: there's just one quantity difference)

How many different slopes are there on the velocity graph? Which one is the greatest slope? Why do you think this is so?

How does each slope on the velocity graph relate to the acceleration graph?

From which two graphs can you calculate the impulse? 

During which two parts of the trip (in the air or contact with the ground) is the greatest change in momentum?

What quantities will change as you vary the mass? What quantities don't?

During what part of the trip is the gravitational potential + kinetic energy constant? Where is it not constant? What do we call this part of the trip?

You'll notice a downward spike in the (kinetic + gravitational) energy when the ball is stopped on the floor. Where do you think the energy is? 

Draw the shape that a real ball would have (1) when it is falling and (2) when its gravitational + kinetic energy is zero. 

Note: Draw your sketch in the sketchpad below

Why is the Kinetic Energy vs. time graph quadratic?

List which physical quantities change when you change the mass of the ball.

Sketch the force vs. time graph during the whole trip. What does the area under/over force value represent?

Note: Draw your sketch in the sketchpad below

Sketch the forces on the ball during free fall, neglect air resistance. Sketch the forces on the ball during the contact with the floor. Draw according to appropriate magnitude.

Note: Draw your sketch in the sketchpad below

Sketch a graph of the ball's momentum vs. time. Which displayed graph is this very nearly like?

General Review: Describe each of Newton's Laws in play as the ball falls. As the ball strikes the floor.

Notes

These notes will appear on every page in this lesson so feel free to put anything here you'd like to keep track of.