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F = ma (11–17)
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FMA-2019A-12 · 2019A F = ma (AAPT)

2019 F = ma Exam A — Question 12

A steel ball bearing bounces vertically on a steel plate. If the speed of the ball just before a bounce is v , i the speed of the ball immediately afterward is v = αv , with α < 1. Which one of the following graphs f i best shows the time between successive bounces, τ, as a function of time?
Source: Question 12, 2019 F = ma Exam A, © 2019 American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) and the U.S. Physics Team. Adapted by PhysicsTrainer: reformatted into a separate question and answer choices for online multiple-choice practice; any shared setup from nearby questions is repeated here. Not affiliated with or endorsed by AAPT or the U.S. Physics Team.