How much air basketball
How Much Air Pressure Should a Basketball Have to Bounce Properly?
Are you a regular basketball player that’s puzzled about why some basketballs bounce better than some others? Yeah right! So, you’re quick to conclude that the bouncing ability of the ball depends on the brand that produces it.
Thus, you think a Spalding is better than a Nike, Franklin, Champion Sports, MacGregor or Fanmats? And some other basketball players think otherwise—choosing the brand they love above others.
It’s typical for you to be biased and support your favorite brand as the best basketball manufacturer in the market. On that note, it will interest you to know that the brand has nothing to do with the bouncing deficiency of your basketball.
But here’s what we found out.
The amount of air pressure in your basketball contributes majorly to the bounce rate of your basketball.
We‘ll be talking extensively, in this article, about how much air pressure your basketball should have—for it to bounce correctly.![]()
Also, we would discuss other vital factors that contribute to the air pressure and bounce rate of a basketball.
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What Happens When a Basketball Isn’t Bouncing Properly?
The obvious answer, right? If your basketball isn’t bouncing correctly, the first issue it creates is to hinder your game performance. But, beyond that, we need to go deep into the foundation of this problem and find out why your basketball isn’t bouncing correctly.
If you’re like us that recently found out that the amount of air pressure in a basketball determines its bounce level, then, we’re on the same page. But, if you haven’t, it is not too late to join the bandwagon.
Dealing with Air Pressure
The force that pushes air against every solid surface it comes in contact with is the air pressure. In simpler terms, the more air in an enclosed area, the higher the air pressure. If this theory is correct, that means you need an optimum amount of air in your basketball to get the best bouncing result on the court.
Before we move on:
Did you know that air is mattered? You heard, right! The air we breathe? Of course! But, you’re surprised because you have always thought that matter in quote had to be solid. At least, that’s what your science teacher taught you in mid-school—she told you, “Matter is anything that has got mass and occupies space.”
But here’s the cracker.
Air has weight, mass, and volume (You can ask your science teacher). What that means is air takes up space. So, you can see it fits into the definition. We know, it sounds weird to think of air as matter, when you can’t touch or run into it.
Think of it this way. Your basketball, bike tire, bouncing castle or air mattress get their mass and form because of the air and air pressure in them. In this case, it’s the air pressure in your basketball that gives your ball the round shape and bouncy feel.
Recommended Air Pressure Required for a Basketball to Bounce Optimally
The typical basketball requires at least a reading of 8 lbs(pounds by square inch) to get appropriately inflated.
If you’re lucky enough, you can buy a basketball that has the inflation instructions printed by the manufacturer to help you get the default air pressure of the ball.
If your ball is not far from you now, you can quickly go check it out and come back to the article. For instance, you may see something like “Inflate 7 to 9 psi.” You saw that, right? Don’t bother if you didn’t see it on your ball—not every manufacturer prints it on their basketballs.
NBA recommends that the air pressure in a basketball must be between 7.5 and 8.5psi. You can use this standard measurement as a guide to get the required air pressure for your basketball.
A quick way to check if your ball has the proper air pressure is by taking this simple test. Drop your basketball from the height of your shoulder and leave it to bounce. If it bounces up back to the height of your hips, then your ball probably has the appropriate air pressure required to deliver on the court.
Three Factors That Can Affect the Internal Air Pressure of a Basketball
Here are three primary factors that affect the bounce level of your ball.
1. Ball Pressure
When you properly inflate your basketball, you enhance its elastic bladder—making it capable of rebounding when it hits a hard surface like the rim. In essence, the higher the air pressure in your basketball, the higher its bounce and otherwise. But, you have to be wary not to over-inflate your basketball to avoid the bladder breaking, which will negatively impact the consistency of the ball’s bounce or even cause leakage.
2. Environmental Pressure
Most times, the surrounding air pressure around a basketball is equally constant, but you should always consider environmental air pressure as it always comes in play—affecting the bounce level of the basketball.
The air is usually less dense or thinner at higher altitudes. And when the air is less dense, objects aren’t still affected as much by the air resistance going against them—whether they fly or bounce through the air.
What this means is that air pressure from the surroundings will hardly affect your basketball enough to mar your game outdoors.
However, it contributes significantly to the height of your ball’s bounce. That takes us to the next factor.
3. Temperature
A decrease in temperature will result in a decline in air pressure inside your basketball. Plus, the bounce level of a basketball primarily depends on the air pressure inside a basketball—as we discussed earlier.
Thus, when a basketball hits and bounces on the floor of a gym with average room temperature, the force of the bounce impact pushes the bottom surface of the ball while compressing the gas inside it.
But here’s a kicker.
According to Boyle’s law, the pressure of the gas inside the basketball increases, when a ball bounces on a hard surface, especially when you’re playing at the park during summer.
But, it’s a different ball game in winter. The internal air pressure of a basketball decreases when it bounces on a hard surface.
Since the internal air pressure of the basketball decreases at a lower temperature, the impact of the ball with the ground will also have less effect when it hits the ground.
By that, the basketball does not bounce high enough as it does at a higher temperature.
In Closing
It’s wise to use a small pump and pressure gauge when inflating your basketball. A report showed that you need about 12 strokes to get something close to the perfect air pressure, which is around 7.5 – 8.5psi.
Thus, you should avoid using high-pressure pumps designed for cars and bike tires. They can easily over-inflate and destroy your basketball.
Of the three factors mentioned earlier in this article, which one struck you as the most important? Has that factor affected your game before? Have you damaged your ball previously because of over-inflation? Tell us your story; we’re eager to see your comments, suggestions, and feedback.
Does It Matter How Much Air Is in Your Basketball?
Did you ever notice that some balls bounce better than others? Baseballs, for instance, don't have much bounce at all, except for when they land hard on the ground in front of you and jump up to nail your shinbone.
Footballs bounce, but you can never tell where they're going. Tennis balls bounce well, as do soccer balls and basketballs. But did you ever notice that some of the same types of balls bounce better than others?
Having the right ball for the game you're playing is important. Having a ball that does what it's supposed to do is equally important. In this section, we'll explore why some balls bounce better than others, and what you can do to assure that the ball you're using is in top condition for the game.
So What Seems to Be the Problem?
If you have a ball that doesn't bounce properly, the immediate problem is that it will affect your game. The problem we'll attempt to solve during the course of this experiment, however, deals with air pressure.
Air pressure, simply put, is the push that air has against all surfaces that it touches. The more air there is in a contained area, the greater the air pressure.
Specifically, we'll try to determine what amount of air pressure in a basketball makes the ball (and hopefully the person using the ball) perform best.
In the next few sections, you'll learn a little bit about what air pressure is, and some of the effects it has on us and on our surroundings.
Air-as in the stuff we breathe-is matter. It has mass, or weight, and volume, meaning that it takes up space. It's funny to think about air as having mass and volume. You can't see it, and you don't sense that you're running into it as you run or walk. It's easier to get a sense of air and air pressure when you think of air that is contained within something, such as your basketball, an air mattress, or a bike tire.
Air is composed of different gases, including nitrogen, carbon dioxide, water vapor, oxygen, and others. All of these gases are composed of particles, or more scientifically, molecules, and they're all in constant motion.
As the molecules move about, they come in contact with surfaces of objects. The molecules push and press on those surfaces, exerting pressure on them.
It's that pressure that allows your basketball to keep its round shape and remain hard and bouncy. If air escapes from the ball, the pressure inside the ball changes. The problem you'll attempt to solve while doing this experiment is how these changes in pressure affect the ball.
If you like the title of this section, "Does It Matter How Much Air Is In Your Basketball?" you could use it as the title for your project. Or if you prefer, you could use one of these titles:
- Getting the Bounce You Need from Your Basketball
- How Much Pressure Is Needed for the Best Bounce?
- How Air Pressure Affects the Bounce of Your Basketball
What's the Point?
Basketballs, along with other objects such as tires and footballs, are high-pressure products. This means that they require a lot of the force created by air pressure in order to get and stay fully inflated.
There are various measurements used for air pressure.
Among them are pounds per square inch, millimeters of mercury, atmospheres, and pascals. In the United States, we measure this force using psi, or pounds per square inch. Conventional wisdom is that a basketball needs 8 psi to be properly inflated. A car tire, just for a comparison, needs 40 psi.
Most basketballs have inflation instructions printed right on them. Take a look and you'll probably see something like "INFLATE 7 to 9 LBS." For this experiment, a ball inflated to eight pounds per square inch will serve as the control. The same ball, but containing different amounts of air, will provide the variables.
Your challenge will be to determine if and how the amount of air inside your basketball causes it to bounce differently. You'll also determine whether the manufacturer's recommendation for the proper inflation rate gives the ball its best bounce.
What Do You Think Will Happen?
If you've ever pumped up a bike tire, an air mattress, or a ball, you've had some experience with air pressure.
Blowing up a balloon, which nearly everyone has done, is another example of air pressure.
Excessive contained air can cause such force against an object that the object bursts. This happens frequently with balloons, which are fairly fragile. It happens less frequently with basketballs, which are sturdier objects, but it can occur.
A loss of air pressure within an object such as a ball or tire, however, also can cause problems.
Think about observations you may have made that relate to air pressure. Does your bike ride as well when one of the tires (or maybe both) has lost air? Does your ball bounce as well? If you've ever played tennis with a ball that's lost pressure, you'll understand why they're referred to as "dead" balls. A dead ball hits the court and drops, as if it is-indeed-dead.
Using your experience and observations, come up with a hypothesis concerning your basketball and whether the amount of air in it will affect the way it bounces.
Do you think that increasing the level of air even above the manufacturer's instructions will cause -it to bounce better? What about if there's less air in it than recommended?
Materials You'll Need for This Project
You need only three things-with two optional, additional items-to conduct the experiment for this project. They are:
- One basketball
- One air pump with a pressure gauge
- One tape measure or meter stick
- One long piece of paper and tape (optional)
It's a good idea to find someone to help you with this experiment, which involves dropping a ball and measuring how high it bounces. It would be possible-but very tricky-to do the experiment by yourself. Besides, basketball is always more fun with a friend!
Conducting Your Experiment
To begin the experiment, you'll test how high the basketball bounces when it's inflated to 8 pounds psi-the recommended level for most models.
From there, you'll increase or decrease the air pressure by putting more air into the ball or removing some air.
The trick will be to add or subtract air in measured increments so that you can keep track of where the pressure is.
Be sure to drop the ball each time from exactly the same height. Starting from different heights will make the results of your experiment invalid.
Drop the ball close to a wall, so you can calculate on the wall the height of the bounce. It would be a good idea to make a paper measuring tape and hang it on the wall so you can better judge the height of the bounce. If you don't, be sure to watch closely how high the ball bounces and use your tape measure or meter stick to measure up to the spot on the wall at which the top of the ball stopped.
Make sure that your basketball is at 8 psi before you begin the experiment. Be sure to record both the pressure of the ball and the height of the bounce as you move through the following steps.
You can record all of your results on the data chart found in the next section, "Keeping Track of Your Experiment."
Follow these steps to conduct your experiment:
- Drop a basketball inflated to 8 psi from a height of 6 feet (1.8 meters). Be sure that the bottom of the ball-not the top-is at the 6-feet line when you drop it.
- Observe, mark, and measure the height of the ball's bounce, remembering to measure at the top of the ball. Record your measurement.
- Repeat steps one and two twice, recording your results as you go.
- Using the air pump with the pressure gauge, increase the psi of the ball by one inch, to 9 psi, and repeat steps one through three.
- Using the needle of the air pump, force as much air out of the ball as possible, then repeat steps one through three.
- Increase the pressure within the ball to 1 psi, then repeat steps one through three.
- Increase the pressure within the ball to 2 psi, then repeat steps one through three.
- Increase the pressure within the ball to 3 psi, then repeat steps one through three.
- Increase the pressure within the ball to 4 psi, then repeat steps one through three.
- Increase the pressure within the ball to 5 psi, then repeat steps one through three.
- Increase the pressure within the ball to 6 psi, then repeat steps one through three.
- Increase the pressure within the ball to 7 psi, then repeat steps one through three.
Once you've completed all the steps, you'll need to average the height of the bounce recorded in each of the three trials for each step. To find the average, add the three measurements together, then divide the total by three.
Recording bounce height.
Keeping Track of Your Experiment
As you conduct three trials for each of the basketball psi settings, you can record your information on the following data chart. Or you can make your own chart, if you wish.
Putting It All Together
Once you've recorded all your data onto the chart, you can plot it onto a graph, letting the x axis represent the pressure, and the y axis represent the height to which the ball bounced when dropped from 1.8 meters, or 6 feet.
Once you've completed your graph, you'll be able to clearly see if your findings prove, or disprove, your hypothesis.
Use this chart to keep track of how high your basketball bounces at different levels of inflation. Be sure to drop the ball from a height of 1.8 meters (6 feet).
Further Investigation
If you're a hands-on kind of person, and you enjoyed doing this experiment, you can think about taking it a step or two further.
You could do this by testing the ball in the same manner, but varying the temperature conditions. You might try bouncing the ball outside on a very cold day, and then, using the same psi settings, record the height of bounces in a nice, warm house.
You also could test balls made of different materials, but inflated to the same level of pressure. Or you can come up with your own ideas for similar experiments.
Michael Jordan, American basketball player, the greatest player in NBA history
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Michael Jordan
Two-time Olympic champion with the US basketball team, six-time NBA champion with the Chicago Bulls, six-time winner of the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player award. Jordan received the title of the most valuable player of the regular season five times, for many years he was the most productive player in the NBA, became a member of the All-Star Game 14 times, and is included in the list of the 50 greatest players in NBA history. Jordan is a basketball legend who played an important role in popularizing the sport around the world in the 80s and 90 years, he was recognized as the best basketball player in history according to ESPN experts, in 2009 he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Jordan was fond of baseball since childhood and dreamed of becoming a professional pitcher, but in middle school he became seriously interested in basketball. Jordan was not distinguished by high growth and powerful physique, therefore, in order to compensate for this, he trained the jump, in the future he received the nicknames “Air Jordan” and “His Air” for his phenomenal jumping ability.
After high school, Jordan entered the University of North Carolina and became a player in one of the strongest student teams, the Tar Heels. In addition to Michael, the team included future NBA stars Sam Perkins and James Worthy . Jordan helped the varsity team to an NCAA (National Collegiate Basketball Association) championship title, won the Naismith rookie award in the NCAA championship, and was named Player of the Year.
With the US national team, Jordan won the 1983 Pan American Games champion in Caracas. The American team won a ticket to the 1984 Olympics, Michael was recognized as the most productive player.
Jordan made his Olympic debut in 1984. Together with Patrick Ewing they were team captains. The US team won all the matches of the Olympic tournament, won gold, Jordan became the Olympic champion for the first time and was recognized as the best player in the 1984 Olympic Games.
In June 1984, Jordan was selected third overall by the Chicago Bulls in the NBA draft. Michael quickly won the love of the public, striking his game, after only a month of his professional career, appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated with the headline "A Star Is Born." In the same year, Michael Jordan signed a contract to advertise basketball shoes with Nike. Especially for him, the Air Jordan line was developed, which is still popular all over the world. Jordan, playing for the Chicago Bulls since 1984 through 1993, led the team to an NBA championship three years in a row, in 1991, 1992 and 1993. At the same time, Michael himself became the first player in NBA history to win the Playoff Finals MVP title for three consecutive years.
In addition, for seven consecutive seasons, Jordan topped the list of the most productive players in the League.
In 1992, Jordan took part in his second Olympic Games, held in Barcelona. went to the games with Michael Jordan Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Charles Barkley, Chris Mullin, Patrick Ewing, Clyde Drexler, John Stockton and other NBA stars. The US Olympic team was named the Dream Team. The Americans did not take a single time-out for the entire tournament and confidently won gold medals. Jordan became a two-time Olympic champion.
In 1993, Michael Jordan's father was killed, with whom he had a very warm and close relationship. Jordan's trademark protruding tongue when attacking the ring, which became the hallmark of a basketball player, was nothing more than an imitation of his father. After the death of his father, Jordan announced his retirement from basketball and decided to fulfill his childhood dream of becoming a baseball player. At 19In '94, he signed with the Chicago White Sox.
However, in March 1995, Jordan returned to basketball with the Chicago Bulls. Jordan again managed to triumphantly lead the team to the title of champions for three years in a row. The 1998 NBA Finals, featuring Jordan, is still considered the highest-rated television event to this day. During his time with Chicago, Michael set nearly 200 club records and appeared in 92 of the 100 highest-scoring games in club history.
In January 1999, Jordan announced his retirement from playing for the second time. In 2000, Jordan returned to the NBA, but as co-owner and general manager of the Washington Wizards for basketball operations. However, in 2001, Jordan again decided to return as a basketball player. The entire salary that Michael received while playing for the Washington Wizards in the 2001/2002 season, he transferred to charity, helping the victims of the September 11 attacks.
In 2003, Jordan competed in his 14th All-Star Game, beating Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for All-Star Game points.
The 2002/2003 season was the last in Jordan's career. The last game of his career, Jordan played against the "Philadelphia-76". He was seen off with a standing ovation for three minutes by teammates, opponents and almost 22,000 fans.
Michael Jordan has been a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame since 2009 and a member of the FIBA Hall of Fame since 2015. Jordan is named #1 of the 50 Greatest Players of All Time by SLAM Magazine's and #1 of the 100 Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century by ESPN.
After his playing career ended, Jordan concentrated on managerial work. Michael leads the Charlotte Hornets basketball team. Jordan is into motorsports. In 2004, he became the owner of the Michael Jordan Motorsports team.
In 1994, the semi-documentary films "Michael Jordan`s Playground" and "Come fly with me" were released. In 1996, the film "Space Jam" was released, where Jordan played himself.
Michael Jordan has been married twice and has five children. He has two sons and a daughter from his first marriage to Juanita Vana, in 2014, in a marriage with his second wife, Cuban model Yvette Prieto, Jordan had twin girls.
“When you are on your way to a goal, there is an obstacle in your way. I faced them, everyone faced. But obstacles should not stop you. When you hit a wall, don't turn back, don't retreat. Find a way to overcome this barrier, work on it.”
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General Ball Standards
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The outer ball keeps the ball stable. The sealing layer of the ball consists of polyester, cotton or foam. The sealing layer serves to ensure the air tightness of the ball. The internal structure of the accessory includes a chamber or frame. The main characteristics of the balls depend on the material of the internal structure - butyl or latex.
According to the manufacturing method, all balls are divided into:
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A smooth surface is the main advantage of newfangled balls.
Soccer balls - the stars of the game
Football is one of the most popular team games, bringing incredible pleasure and income to both players and ardent fans. After all, considerable sums are bet on the totalizators for the victory of the favorites. Football stars are recognizable on all continents. And yet, the main character of the game is ... the ball.
Throughout the history of football, the ball has undergone significant changes. The first balls were made from human heads covered with animal skin. After the sinister attributes were replaced by pig bladders, inflated to the required size. Since 1855, thanks to Charles Goodyear, rubber accessories have appeared.
In 1872, the first soccer ball standards appeared. According to the rules, the accessory should not exceed a diameter of 27-28 inches and weigh 13-15 ounces. Over time, the weight of the ball increased slightly and the modern attribute weighs 14-16 ounces.
A modern soccer ball consists of 20 hexagons and 12 pentagons. The combination of geometric shapes forms a perfect sphere, black polyhedrons on the surface of the projectile are not an accident and not just decoration. They help players to more accurately feel any deviation in the flight of an attribute.
The construction of the soccer ball consists of several layers. The upper ball is made of high quality synthetic materials - polyurethane or PVC. During the evolution of the projectile, it was noticed that genuine leather easily absorbs moisture and thereby makes the ball heavier. Between the outer tire and the ball chamber there is a cushioning layer consisting of foam, fabric and non-woven material. The inner layer of the ball - the chamber - contains the main element of the projectile - air. Thanks to the chamber, the ball keeps its shape well. The attribute chamber is made of latex or butyl. Professional soccer balls contain latex bladders as they are softer and more pliable during play.
The most popular soccer ball brands are Adidas, Mikasa, Nike, Puma, Select, Wilson.
Basketball - fast projectile
Invented in 1891, the game of basketball was at first considered truly American. The initial purpose of ball exercises was to diversify gymnastics lessons. Two fruit baskets attached to the railing of the balcony and an ordinary soccer ball were so popular with the students of the training center of the Christian Youth Association of Springfield that not a single sports activity was complete without an exciting activity. Soon the first rules appeared, followed by the first basketball competitions. The basket and ball game has crossed US borders and has become extremely popular in many parts of the world.
Today basketball is probably the most popular sport after football. Fruit baskets have been replaced by stylish nets. There was also a special attribute of the game - a basketball.
The international size and weight criteria for sports equipment states that a basketball must be orange in color, embellished with a pattern of eight inserts and black seams.
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• Outdoor projectile made of synthetic materials. Used in street play. Extremely wear resistant.
• Indoor/outdoor mixed type can be used both indoors and outdoors. It is characterized by greater hardness and density of the outer layer. Wear-resistant in adverse weather conditions.
Structurally, a basketball consists of a chamber, a carcass, a thread wrap and an outer layer. The covering can be made of synthetic leather, composite leather, genuine leather or the most budget option - rubber.
Basketballs are produced by leading sports brands - Nike, Wilson, Spalding, Mikasa, Peak.
Volleyball and handball - active games
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A handball also consists of a tire and inner tube.
