Q1.
Why are different materials used for making balls for various sports?
Answer
Because every sport needs the ball to behave differently — and the behaviour comes from the material.
| Ball | Made of | Property the game needs |
|---|---|---|
| Cricket ball | Cork centre, wound thread, leather cover | Hard and heavy, so it travels far when hit and bounces low off the pitch |
| Tennis ball | Hollow rubber filled with air, cloth cover | Light and very springy — must bounce high, again and again |
| Football | Leather or synthetic cover, rubber bladder with air | Large, light, and soft enough to be headed without injury |
| Hand exercise ball | Soft solid rubber or silicone | Must squeeze easily in the fist and return to shape |
| Table tennis ball | Thin, hollow plastic | Extremely light, so it can be flicked with a tiny bat |
Why it happens: the material decides the ball’s hardness, mass and bounce. Rubber springs back into shape and returns most of the energy, so a rubber ball bounces high. Cork wrapped in leather hardly changes shape, so a cricket ball bounces low but flies fast off the bat.