How is elastic potential energy conserved in a bouncing ball?

Elastic potential energy is conserved in a bouncing ball through the process of elastic deformation.

When a ball is dropped, it gains gravitational potential energy as it falls towards the ground. As it hits the ground, the ball deforms and compresses, storing some of the energy as elastic potential energy. This energy is then released as the ball bounces back up, returning to its original shape. The amount of elastic potential energy stored depends on the material properties of the ball and the surface it bounces on.

During the bounce, some energy is lost due to factors such as air resistance and internal friction within the ball. This results in a decrease in the height of each subsequent bounce, known as damping. However, the total amount of energy in the system remains constant, as the lost energy is converted into other forms such as heat and sound.

In summary, elastic potential energy is conserved in a bouncing ball through the process of elastic deformation and subsequent release. While some energy is lost due to damping, the total energy in the system remains constant.