Why do ping pong balls bounce?
Physics of a Bouncing Ball Ping pong balls are tiny balls with an amazing bounce capability. These little white orbs are hollow on the inside, small in size, and made of a little-used plastic material called celluloid. Because of their unique properties, these balls bounce better than many rubber balls, yet are a fraction of the size and weight, making them ideal for indoor games. Since the surface of a ping pong ball is stiff and springy, it loses less energy than a softer ball would when bouncing on a hard surface. The more energy the ball conserves, the higher the subsequent bounce will be. When you bounce a ping pong ball on hard surfaces such as a ping pong table or a tile floor, you will notice how high it flies, especially as more force is applied. But if you attempt to bounce this ball on a softer surface, such as a mattress or a carpeted floor, the cloth will absorb the energy that the ball conserved, causing it to bounce less or not at all. From a physics perspective, the bou
