Energy loss in oblique collisions

Abstract

The decrease in kinetic energy of a ball incident vertically on a rigid horizontal surface depends on the normal coefficient of restitution, [Formula: see text]. It is shown in the present paper that if the ball is incident obliquely on the surface then the total decrease in kinetic energy has two independent contributions, one depending on [Formula: see text], the other depending on the tangential coefficient of restitution, [Formula: see text].