Ball Impact Simulator

Can you find the respective speeds at which a wiffel ball, tennis ball, baseball, and basketball becomes dangerous(exceeding 15 J kinetic energy)? Adjust the speed and find out!

Here are the weights (masses) of the balls used in the simulation:

1. Wiffle Ball: 0.025 kg (25 grams)
2. Tennis Ball: 0.058 kg (58 grams)
3. Cricket Ball: 0.149 kg (149 grams)
4. Basketball: 0.58 kg (580 grams)

These values are typical, but actual ball weights can vary slightly depending on the specific make or model.

Kinetic Energy and pain

Kinetic energy causing pain upon impact can vary based on factors like the area of impact, duration of impact, and individual tolerance. However, for context: Kinetic energy around 10-20 Joules can cause noticeable pain when a small object (like a ball) hits the body.

Game Concept: “Danger Zone: When Does It Hurt?”

Objective:

Players must find the speed at which different balls become dangerous (i.e., likely to cause pain) by adjusting the speed of the ball. The challenge is to determine the speed threshold where the kinetic energy exceeds a certain value (e.g., 15 Joules).

Game Flow:

1. Introduction: Explain that players will adjust the speed of various balls and test when they enter the “Danger Zone” where they could cause pain on impact.
2. Select a Ball: Choose from Wiffle Ball, Tennis Ball, Cricket Ball, or Basketball.
3. Adjust the Speed: Players enter the ball’s speed. The goal is to determine the lowest speed at which the ball’s kinetic energy exceeds 15 Joules.
4. Test and Observe: As players adjust the speed, any value of kinetic energy above 15 J indicates it can cause pain.
5. Feedback: After finding the threshold speed for one ball, players can move on to the next ball and repeat the process.

Winning Condition:

• Successfully identifying the threshold speed for each ball type.

This game will help us to understand the relationship between speed, mass, and kinetic energy.