Property Differences in Polymers: Happy/Sad Balls

This learning activity shows how "differences in composition can drastically affect the properties of balls that look identical." Balls that appear the same but are composed of different materials will be bounced. Since they are made of different materials, students will observe a difference in the way they bounce. This activity would be suitable for middle school through college level students, with each grade level gaining different educational benefits. The lesson should take about 60 to 90 minutes of class time (it can also be used as a short 10 minute demonstration for lower grade levels). This document will serve as a framework for instructors and may be downloaded in PDF format.