Particle Simulation in Contact Mechanics of a Bouncing Elastic Ball

Abstract

An elastic ball is simulated by considering lumped mass molecular sets called particles. Particles are allowed to interact only locally in a fashion similar to that employed in molecular mechanics. Under local and gravity forces an n-body problem results when initial data are prescribed. By scaling the forces, the resulting n-body problem is solved numerically using only a scientific personal computer. A variety of examples of bouncing balls are described and discussed.