Property Differences in Polymers: Happy/Sad Balls

This 3-page instructor guide from Edmonds Community College outlines an activity demonstrating 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. Because the balls are made of different materials, students will observe a difference in the way they bounce. This activity demonstrates the “effects of processing and manufacturing variations on materials properties.” This lesson takes one class period, and includes a demonstration and interactive experiment. This resource includes the following sections: Objectives, MatEd Core Competencies Addressed, Equipment and Supplies Needed, Instructor Background and Notes, Procedure: Demonstration, Procedure: Full Experiment, Optional Additional Activities, and Evaluation.