Ask Ollie
Ollie's Big Bounce Height Test
Here's one to try together!
Which ball bounces highest? Make a bounce ruler, drop, watch and find out!
Reviewed by our team.
Safety first
- balls bouncing unpredictably could hit someone or knock things over
- small ping pong ball could roll away and be a trip hazard
- heavy basketball could hurt toes if dropped
What you need
- Paper, 1 long strip
- Painter's tape, 1 roll
- Ball, 4 or 5 different balls
- Ruler, 1
- Pencil, 1
How to do it
Grown-up prep: Pick a clear wall with space around it and a hard floor. Gather the balls and put the heavy ones where little feet will not get hurt.
- Tape the long paper strip up the wall, standing on the floor.
- Mark the strip with your ruler every ten centimeters.
- Draw a chart with a row for each ball.
- Line up your balls and guess which will bounce highest. Ask: Which ball do you think will bounce highest, and which will bounce lowest? Why?
- Hold the first ball at the top of the strip and let go.
- Your partner watches closely and marks how high it bounces back.
- Drop each ball three times and take the middle result.
- Compare your chart with your guesses and find the winner. Ask: Did the winner surprise you? What do you notice about how it feels?
- Drop your best bouncer on carpet, wood and a rug and compare. Ask: Where do you think it will bounce highest, and why?
- Now challenge a friend to guess, or test more balls! What else could you bounce?
Play it again
- Surface showdown: test every ball on three different floors and find the best pair.
- Bounce bets: your partner guesses the number before each drop, and the closest guess wins a point.
- Cold ball test: put a ball in the fridge for 20 minutes and see if it bounces differently.
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