# A student drops a rubber ball from a height. The ball bounces several times before eventually coming to rest on the floor. Explain the energy stores and transfers involved from the moment the ball is released until it comes to rest.

> OCR GCSE Physics A: Gateway Science (J249) — P5.1 Energy stores and transfers · Explain · 4 marks

## Mark scheme (4 marks)

1. The ball starts with gravitational potential energy (GPE) which transfers to kinetic energy (KE) as it falls
2. When the ball hits the floor, kinetic energy is transferred to elastic potential energy as the ball deforms/is squashed
3. Each bounce involves a waste energy transfer — kinetic energy is transferred to thermal energy (heat) and/or sound
4. The ball comes to rest because, by conservation of energy, all the original gravitational potential energy has been transferred to thermal energy and sound — none is created or destroyed

## Related

- [Revision notes for OCR GCSE Physics A: Gateway Science (J249)](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/learn)
- [How to answer "Explain" questions](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/tools/command-word-cheatsheet)
- [Practice this with AI marking (free)](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/start)

---
Source: [GradeNine](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/q/a-student-drops-a-rubber-ball-9bcaf23d) · Published by Druglandscape Ltd.