Thump, ring: the sound of a bouncing ball

TL;DR

This paper develops an approximate theoretical model to explain the characteristic sounds produced by a bouncing basketball, including the loud thump and ringing, based on the ball's physical properties.

Contribution

It introduces a novel theoretical framework for predicting the sound amplitudes and waveforms generated by bouncing balls, linking physical properties to acoustic signals.

Findings

Predicted sound amplitudes match observed loudness.

Model accurately describes the waveform characteristics.

Provides insights into the physics of bouncing objects.

Abstract

A basketball bounced on a stiff surface produces a characteristic loud thump, followed by high-pitched ringing. Describing the ball as an inextensible but flexible membrane containing compressed air, I formulate an approximate theory of the generation of these sounds and predict their amplitudes and waveforms.