Why do balls that have more air in them bounce higher than balls with less air in them?

Answer 1

More air means greater pressure inside the ball. More pressure means greater resistence to deformation and faster return to the original shape. It is this quicker return to the original shape that gives the better bounce for the ball with more air.

Answer 2

Balls with more air will reach the necessary internal pressure faster so that the force needed to push outward on the surface against the weight and impact force of the ball is reached sooner than when there is less air inside the ball. As consequence the higher inflated ball is less deformed when it reaches sufficient force to spring it back upward. And deformation loses a lot of energy through friction and heat.

So, bottom line, the more air in a ball reduces the amount of kinetic energy (KE) lost to friction so that it has more kinetic energy than the under-inflated ball to bounce back upward. And, as you well know, the height of the ball on rebounding can be found from h = KE/mg; where h is the max rebound height, m the ball's mass, and g ~ 10 m/sec^2. KE is the kinetic energy the ball has just as it leaves the ground heading upward.

There is, of course, a point where the ball will just go splat and lie there if it's really under-inflated. At that point the deformation is so great that there is little force and resulting kinetic energy left to send the ball skyward.

Answer 3

Because when you bouce it, the rubber of the ball goes in, and with more it is pushes away faster, with more force, so the ball goes higher, with less air theres less force, pushing the ball up.

Answer 4

because the more air you have in it, the more tension you have, and more tension means a higher bounce. Its like a rubberband that you stretch out and fling. The more it is strecthed the farther it will go, but in this case it is the more air you have the higher it will go.

Answer 5

if you threw a flat ball on teh ground it wouldnt bounce, right? thats becasue there is not any tension expanding the rubber. also the air inside causes it to be heavier, so the rubber has more force behind it.

Answer 6

More energy is lost from a flat ball as it contacts a surface than the energy lost from a fully inflated ball.

Answer 7

I think it has something to do with more air causing more pressure and making a stronger hit on the ground, causing an equal/opposite reaction o_0

Answer 8

coz a ball with more air is lighter

Answer 9

surface tention.

Answer 10

GRAVITY