The Impulse-Momentum Theorem

•   In your notebook or on scratch paper, draw free-body diagrams for a freely falling ball and a force plate resting on a table, and also for the ball and force plate during an impact.  Label the forces.

•   From your knowledge of kinematics, solve for the expression for the maximum height h₂₁ after the first bounce and before the second bounce from the time difference between the first two bounces, t₂ – t₁.  From your knowledge of kinematics or energy conservation, solve for the expression for the speed v₂₁ just after the first bounce and just before the second bounce.  Similarly, write the expressions for h₃₂ and v₃₂. 

•   The change in momentum Δp₂ due to the second bounce is the mass times the difference between the final and initial velocities, m(v₃₂ - v₂₁).  Write the y-component of the change in momentum due to the second bounce, Δp_y2.  Double check your signs!