Physics Involved- Elastic Potential Energy, Gravitational Potential Energy, Free-fall
I'm Noah, and I will be explaining the physics behind jumping on a trampoline. First, it is helpful to know what a trampoline is. It is a strong fabric sheet connected by springs to a frame, creating a springboard that is used for landing jumps, entertainment, and exercise. When you jump on a trampoline, it is significantly different than jumping on the ground. Because the trampoline creates a springboard, when you stand on a trampoline, it sags down, which extends the springs. When you jump, the springs release their energy. This allows you to be able to jump much higher, and when you land back onto it, it creates a soft cushion. Jumping is pushing oneself off a surface and into the air by using the muscles in one's legs and feet. When you jump, the force of gravity pushes you down, and if you hold weights while doing this, it will increase your mass.
The forces present while jumping on a trampoline-You have Gravitational Potential Energy, GPE = mgh, GPE = (your Mass which is increased when you have that added weight)(Gravity = 9.8m/s)(your Height); you will have Elastic Potential Energy, which comes from the springs, EPE = ½ kx2 à[(the spring constant) the higher this number, the more force is required to expand the spring that same distance compared to a lower spring constant)](how much the spring compacts from it’s normal position)2; you haveKinetic Energy, KE = ½ MV2, ½ (Mass)(Velocity)2; and finally, you have work = F•DCosƟ, Work = (Force x Distance x 1)
Potential energy and kinetic energy are the reason trampolines allow you to jump so much higher than you could on the ground. A type of potential energy with trampolines is the potential energy stored in springs. Another type of energy is gravitational potential energy. There is also kinetic energy because you are moving.
All together, there are four stages when jumping on a trampoline:
I'm Noah, and I will be explaining the physics behind jumping on a trampoline. First, it is helpful to know what a trampoline is. It is a strong fabric sheet connected by springs to a frame, creating a springboard that is used for landing jumps, entertainment, and exercise. When you jump on a trampoline, it is significantly different than jumping on the ground. Because the trampoline creates a springboard, when you stand on a trampoline, it sags down, which extends the springs. When you jump, the springs release their energy. This allows you to be able to jump much higher, and when you land back onto it, it creates a soft cushion. Jumping is pushing oneself off a surface and into the air by using the muscles in one's legs and feet. When you jump, the force of gravity pushes you down, and if you hold weights while doing this, it will increase your mass.
The forces present while jumping on a trampoline-You have Gravitational Potential Energy, GPE = mgh, GPE = (your Mass which is increased when you have that added weight)(Gravity = 9.8m/s)(your Height); you will have Elastic Potential Energy, which comes from the springs, EPE = ½ kx2 à[(the spring constant) the higher this number, the more force is required to expand the spring that same distance compared to a lower spring constant)](how much the spring compacts from it’s normal position)2; you haveKinetic Energy, KE = ½ MV2, ½ (Mass)(Velocity)2; and finally, you have work = F•DCosƟ, Work = (Force x Distance x 1)
Potential energy and kinetic energy are the reason trampolines allow you to jump so much higher than you could on the ground. A type of potential energy with trampolines is the potential energy stored in springs. Another type of energy is gravitational potential energy. There is also kinetic energy because you are moving.
All together, there are four stages when jumping on a trampoline:
- 1: standing on the trampoline while bending your knees, which is work
- 2: having kinetic and gravitational energy
- 3: achieving max height, having only gravitational energy
- 4: is work energy coming back down
- Smaller kids usually jump higher than adults, even though they have a lower potential energy due to gravity, because the trampoline can more easily spring them back up, since they are being pulled down by gravity slightly less.
- Jumping on a trampoline is a good example of Newton's first law of motion, because an object at motion will remain at motion unless acted upon by an unbalanced force. The outside forces that keep on top of the trampoline are gravity (keeping you down) and the trampoline itself (keeping you up). You will not start moving unless you jump. If you were to just stand on the trampoline, nothing would happen. Pushing your feet down makes you go up, which is the Third Law of Motion.
- The total energy of the person jumping on a trampoline equals the potential energy, plus the kinetic energy
- Jumping itself is a good form of energy, because you have to do work to overcome gravity, so adding mass helps enforce the benefits of this exercise.
- Thank you for learning the physics of jumping on a trampoline (with added mass), go ahead... jump around!
Here's a short YouTube clip of me jumping on a trampoline, along with some helpful pictures: