Rolling Ball Simulation
Discussion Questions
What happens to the ball when the hill is sloped, flat, or curved? How does the shape affect the ball’s movement?
How do the friction and elasticity sliders change how the ball rolls and bounces?
How does changing the mass (density) of the ball affect its speed and movement along the hill?
Which combination of hill shape, friction, elasticity, and mass makes the ball roll the fastest? Why do you think that happens?
Can you predict how the ball will move if you increase or decrease the amplitude of the curved hill?
Reflection Prompts
Describe how the shape of the hill affects the ball’s motion. Use terms like slope, speed, and bounce.
Explain why friction and elasticity are important for controlling motion. Give an example from the simulation.
Reflect on a situation in real life where you see these forces and motion, like a skateboard ramp, a slide, or a rolling ball.
Write down any surprising results you observed when adjusting the sliders. Did the ball behave the way you expected?
⚖️ Mass
Mass is how much stuff an object has inside it.
A bowling ball has more mass than a tennis ball.
More mass means it’s harder to move or stop the object.🧤 Friction
Friction is a force that slows things down when they touch.
It’s like when you slide across a carpet — you stop quickly because of friction.
Less friction means objects slide farther or faster.🪀 Elasticity
Elasticity is how well something bounces back after being stretched or squished.
A rubber ball has high elasticity — it bounces high.
A clay ball has low elasticity — it barely bounces at all.
