Trampoline

bounce · sports · physics

Stretchy fabric magic. Trampolines use a special tight fabric stretched across a steel frame with metal springs holding it all together. When you jump on it, the fabric bends down and then snaps back up, flinging you into the air.

Springs do the work. The metal coils underneath store your energy when you land, then release it all at once to launch you upward. More springs and tighter fabric mean you bounce even higher.

Sport and skill. Trampolining became an official Olympic sport where athletes do flips, twists, and somersaults in the air, with judges scoring how high they go and how well they land.

Not just for fun. Gymnastics teams use trampolines to train because bouncing helps athletes learn how to flip and rotate safely. The bounce gives them more time in the air to practice moves.