Is the motion of a bouncing ball simple harmonic?

Hi, for my A2 physics investigation, I am looking at the physics of a bouncing ball. I thought that it could be simple harmomic because it always deaccelerates towards the equilibrium point, which is ever changing because the ball deaccelerates. BUT simple harmomic motion is when something accelerates towards the equilibrium point so i'm not sure that it is.

Any ideas?

Reply 1

teachercol

No its not simple harmonic.

Force on the ball is constant (except during bounce) where for SHM we need force proportional to displacment from equilibrium.

Reply 2

W0nker

I agree.

Does it display some kind of perodic motion though? I mean surely, I coul relate it to a cosine wave?

Reply 3

teachercol

Its periodic - but no sine or cosine curves there.

Unless you're into Fourier Analysis.

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Is the motion of a bouncing ball simple harmonic?

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