Video transcript of Episode 13: Bouncing High

Transcript

On-screen text reads: "Do Try This at Home from the Institute of Physics. Episode 13: Bouncing High"

Exciting music plays in the background. A boy with swimming goggles on is looking at the camera. He is holding a basketball. We hear him say: "And when you let go this happens!"

Camera zooms out. The boy is holding a tennis ball on top of a volleyball at shoulder height. He lets them go and we see them both fall towards the ground. Before they can bounce, we hear a whooshing sound and the screen swipes to the right.

Camera cuts to Niloufar Wijetunge who is sat in a living room. To the left of her there’s a volleyball and some sunglasses and to the right of her a poodle is lying down. The poodle is looking up at her while she speaks.

Niloufar: "Hello and welcome to another episode of Do Try This at brought to you by the Institute of Physics. We’re making these films for parents and carers across the UK and Ireland so that you can explore science together at home with your kids. 

"My name is Niloufar and I’m staying with family in Moira in Northern Ireland."

On-screen text reads: "Niloufar Wijetunge, IOP Teaching Coach (London)."

Niloufar: "I’m going to show you an activity that is bound to put a spring in your step. What you’re going to need is a basketball and if you don’t have one a football will do." 

We hear Niloufar pick up the basketball. She presents it to the camera and then sets it aside.

Niloufar: "You’re also going to need a tennis ball. I’m going to try and take Jasper’s here."

Niloufar points to Jasper the poodle on her left. He has a tennis ball in between his paws. She picks up the ball and we hear Jasper growl softly.

Niloufar: "You’re going to need eye protection – for example some sunglasses – and you’re going to need a hard surface to bounce the balls off without anything breakable nearby."

Niloufar presents a pair of sunglasses to the camera and then sets them down. She then ruffles Jasper’s fur.

Niloufar: "So, I’m going to hand you over to my nephew Ethan who’s out in the garden."

Niloufar points in the direction of the garden and the screen swipes right. 

Camera cuts to Ethan who is standing in the garden. Some dramatic music is playing. He has a pair of goggles on his head and is carrying a volleyball with his left arm. His right arm is outstretched at shoulder height and his hand is rotated upwards as it holds a tennis ball.

Ethan: "To start drop the tennis ball from shoulder height."

Ethan lets go of the ball from shoulder height. 

Ethan: "It bounces this high."

We see the ball bounce to just below the height of his waist. He catches it.

Camera cuts to Jasper who has seen the ball and moves closer looking expectantly.

Camera cuts back to Ethan who has the basketball in his hand.

Ethan: "Do exactly the same with the basketball. The effect is higher but not as high as my shoulder." 

Ethan drops the basketball from shoulder height. We see it bounce higher than his waist but not as high as his shoulder.

Camera cuts to a close-up shot of Ethan putting on his swimming goggles.

Ethan: "For this next bit put on eye protection."

Camera cuts to a medium shot of Ethan. He has one hand holding the basketball in front of him and he has placed a tennis ball on top of it.

Ethan: "Line up the centres of the balls." 

Ethan is making sure that he has lined up the centre of the balls so that the tennis ball is exactly on top of the basketball.

Ethan: "Ask everyone to stand back. That includes you Jasper!" 

Music stops. Camera cuts to Jasper who stands up and scampers off whimpering.

Music starts playing again. Camera cuts to a close-up shot of Ethan looking at the camera. 

Ethan: "And when you let go this happens."

Camera cuts to a full shot of Ethan. He is in profile and holding out the basketball and tennis ball at shoulder height. He drops both together and we see the basketball hit the ground first. The tennis ball bounces off the basketball and starts to soar into the air above Ethan’s head. The basketball bounces to just above the height of Ethan’s knees.

The camera changes profile from left to right as we see the ball soar above Ethan.

Camera cuts to a close-up shot of Jasper looking up to the skies.

Camera cuts to a close-up shot of the basketball bouncing low.

Camera cuts to a medium shot of Ethan looking up.

Camera cuts to the tennis ball which appears to be higher than the top of a nearby tree.

Camera cuts to a birds-eye view of Jasper looking upwards. The camera increases in height over Jasper as he looks smaller. It gives the impression that there is a tiny camera on top of the ball, and we are seeing Jasper from that camera.

Camera cuts to the tennis ball soaring to its highest point, above tree height, before looping down again.

Music stop playing.

We hear a whooshing sound and the screen swipes right. 

Camera cuts to Niloufar who is sitting in the living room. She is holding a ping pong ball on top of a basketball.

Niloufar: "So, what’s going on here and how do you explain it to your family?

"You can start with one ball. It’s round and when I push it it springs back into shape."

Niloufar sets the tennis ball aside. She holds the basketball up to the camera and gives it a squeeze so we can see it push back into shape when she stops squeezing. 

Niloufar: "It bounces because when I drop it the ground squashes it and as it springs back into shape it launches itself and so it bounces up."

Niloufar lets go of the ball. We do not hear the sound of the ball falling but instead the camera cuts to a slow-motion animation of the football. The football squishes when it reaches the floor and changes shape.

As it springs back into shape, we see it launch upwards.

Camera cuts to a medium shot of Niloufar who catches the ball.

Camera cuts to a medium shot of Niloufar who is holding the ping pong ball on top of the basketball again.

Niloufar: "For the two balls we drop them together." 

Nilofar drops both balls.

Camera cuts to a slow-motion animation. We see the basketball and tennis falling to the ground. The basketball hits the floor. Camera tilts upwards to show the ping pong ball bouncing off a basketball before launching upwards. 

Niloufar (voice-over): The basketball bounces a fraction of a second before the tennis ball and because the tennis ball is now bouncing off a surface that is moving upwards it bounces off with a higher speed and so bounces high. 

Camera cuts to a medium shot of Niloufar who has caught the basketball. The plastic ball can be seen soaring much higher. We hear the clacking sound of the ping pong bouncing on the floor.

We hear a whooshing sound and the screen swipes to the right.

Camera cuts to a medium shot of Niloufar.

Niloufar: "Don’t worry if you aren’t entirely sure about the science, the main thing is that you enjoy the activity and if you like this one, then why not head over to our website where you can find a dozen more that you definitely should try at home."

On-screen text reads: "iop.org/athome."

Niloufar: "Well, that’s all for this time. So, it’s goodbye from me and Ethan and it’s goodbye from Jasper!"

Camera cuts to Jasper racing after the tennis ball in the garden. He retrieves it and scampers back in the direction of the camera.

The image is replaced by some on-screen text which reads: "Do Try This at Home from the Institute of Physics. For instructions and more Do Try This at Home films visit iop.org/athome. These experiments have not been specifically safety tested for home use, but we believe them to be safe if the instructions are followed. Adult supervision is recommended as appropriate. All experiments are carried out at your own risk."