K230637
Why does a rubber ball bounce on the floor, but a wooden ball does not?

The solution

The rubber ball is elastic: when hitting the ground, the rubber ball is compressed (the ball deforms) and this creates an elastic force in the ball, due to which the ball can bounce back up and regain its shape. Such an elastic force does not occur in a wooden ball because the wooden ball has a plastic body. Instead, the wooden ball uses its kinetic energy to break either itself or the floor (and make a sound).