What happens when you place a tennis ball directly above a basketball and then drop both of them at the same time? A transfer of energy occurs that will create an out-of-control bouncing ball.

Materials

* Basketball

* Tennis ball

Instructions

STEP 1: Hold the tennis ball directly above the basketball so that the balls are touching.

STEP 2: Drop both the balls at the same time and observe.

Explanation

The energy from the bouncing basketball is transferred to the tennis ball. This causes the tennis ball to become energized and shoot into the air.

Jason Lindsey is a science outreach educator with Hooked on Science. Check out his website www.hookedonscience.org for webcasts and experiments that might get you hooked on science. Send him your science questions at jlindseyhookedonscience.com.