Question

PLACE A TENNIS BALL ON THE HARD-SMOOTH SURFACE OF A TABLE. BLOW THE BALL. THE BALL ROLLS RAPIDLY. NOW COVER THE TABLE WITH A SHEET (TABLECLOTH). PLACE THE TABLE TENNIS BALL OVER THE SHEET AND BLOW AT IT. THE BALL ROLLS SLOWLY AND SOON COME TO STOP. MENTION ALL THE POSSIBLE REASONS FOR THIS.

Answer 1

The reason for the Tennis ball to roll down rapidly and then slowly, with and without a table cloth, is due to the action of friction.

• Friction is the force that resists the sliding or rolling of one solid object over another.
• Friction is caused due to the irregularities on the two surfaces in contact.
• Larger the irregularities, more is the friction.

• On the hard - smooth surface of the table, the frictional force is significantly less. Therefore the ball can roll down rapidly over it.
• On placing the tablecloth, the surface becomes rough. A rough surface that bears large irregularities provides more friction; hence ball rolling on cloth rolls slowly and then stops.

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