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Happy/Unhappy Balls image
 
(based on 11 ratings)
Brand: Arbor Scientific
Located in: Cool Tools
Side by side, these two black rubber spheres look identical. But, when you throw them to the ground, one bounces wildly about the room, while the other just lies there, no matter how hard you throw it.
Product Reviews Summary
Avg. Customer Rating:
 
(based on 11 reviews)
100% of respondents would recommend this to a friend.

Customers most agreed on the following attributes:

Pros:
Easy to use (10), Fun (9), Interactive (9), Effective demonstration (9), Promotes learning (9)
Best Uses:
Students (9), School (8), Teachers (7), Home (3)
Describe Yourself:
Educator (4)
 
A bit of confusion is sometimes good.
By MikeVerified Reviewer from Grandville, Michigan on 10/16/2008
Pros:
Easy To Use, Effective Demonstration, Fun, Interactive, Promotes Learning
Best Uses:
School, Students, Teachers
Describe Yourself:
Educator
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

This product can be used to demonstrate efficiency, begin a disucussion on coefficient of restitution or impulse equals change in momentum. Pull these little guys out when you want to get your students' attention!

 
Great conservation of momentum lesson!
By Physics TeacherVerified Reviewer from Elkton, MD on 6/8/2008
Pros:
Easy To Use, Effective Demonstration, Fun, Interactive, Promotes Learning
Best Uses:
School, Students, Teachers
Describe Yourself:
Educator
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

I purchased a class set of these balls and give them to the students with a piece of wood when I introduce momentum and impulse. I tell them they are sitting on their bed when the house catches fire and they need to design and complete an experiment to determine which ball will be more effective at closing their bedroom door to allow them time to escape out their window.

 
Works great, just as advertised
By Pastor GeraldVerified Reviewer from Western NC on 5/22/2008
Pros:
Easy To Use, Effective Demonstration, Fun, Interactive, Promotes Learning
Describe Yourself:
Education Oriented, Thrifty
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

I was glad to finally find these happy/ sad balls for a good price. I used them in church to explain why we can't judge people by the way they look. The kids and adults were enthused by them.

 
Lesson: Appearance is not everything
By The Business Performance GroupVerified Reviewer from salt lake city, ut on 2/22/2008
Pros:
Easy To Use, Effective Demonstration, Fun, Interactive, Promotes Learning
Best Uses:
School, Students, Teachers
Describe Yourself:
Educator

we use these in our sales training.

 
Great Product for all!
By RobertVerified Reviewer from Houston, TX on 2/1/2008
Pros:
Easy To Use
Best Uses:
Home, School, Students
Describe Yourself:
Collector
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

It's a really fun product just to have and watch. Great for magic tricks and the like.

 
Great product !
By CAVSVerified Reviewer from MS on 11/16/2007
Pros:
Easy To Use, Effective Demonstration, Fun, Interactive, Promotes Learning
Best Uses:
School, Students, Teachers
Describe Yourself:
Educator
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Demo of elastic and inelastic collusions.

 
Great Product
By MikeVerified Reviewer from Milwaukee, WI on 9/17/2007
Pros:
Easy To Use, Effective Demonstration, Fun, Interactive, Promotes Learning
Best Uses:
Home, School, Students, Teachers
Describe Yourself:
Parent, Thrifty
Bottom Line:
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Great demonstration of material characteristics

 
Addendum
By Same amateurVerified Purchaser from Arlington, VA on 11/27/2006

Try chilling the balls in icewater for a while. The unhappy ball will bounce, the happy ball won't. Dramatic. (The response of the materials to temperatures is not linear.)

It is interesting to ask the students where the "lost" energy goes when the ball does not bounce. Does the earth move?
[...]

 
Lots of fun!
By Rebecca from Frederick, MD on 11/27/2006
Pros:
Easy To Use, Effective Demonstration, Fun, Interactive, Promotes Learning
Best Uses:
Students, Teachers

An excellent learning tool.

 
Happy/Unhappy Balls-effective tools
By AnneVerified Purchaser from Chicago, IL on 11/27/2006
Pros:
Easy To Use, Effective Demonstration, Fun, Interactive, Promotes Learning
Best Uses:
School, Students

Met expectations.

[6 of 7 customers found this review helpful]

 
Surprisingly popular
By Amateur science teacherVerified Purchaser from Arlington, VA on 9/18/2006
Pros:
Easy To Use, Effective Demonstration, Fun, Interactive, Promotes Learning
Best Uses:
Home, School, Students, Teachers

For such a simple item, I have been continually surprised how much people like these. I usually bounce the superball for them, palm it and give them the dud, asking them to do the same. When it stops dead on the floor -- without a single bounce -- the look on their face is utter confusion. Provides a useful point for discussion of elasticity, polymers etc. What are these materials useful for? If the sad ball didn't bounce, where did the energy go? And so on. BTW, this is a very good price.

Customer Reviews about the Happy/Unhappy Balls at ArborScientific
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