What Happens After The Coin Touches The Ground?

Up to this point, we have assumed that the collision between the coin and the ground will be an inelastic collision. This means that when the coin collides with a surface, the coin will stay in place after the collision, rather than bouncing. However, this is certainly not always the case. For the sake of simplicity, it is easier to think of a coin as a rod with length equal to the diameter of the coin. According to a study done by Cornell University, the number of outside influences that could affect the motion of such a bouncing object, experiencing a series of partially elastic collisions, mean that the possible outcomes of the objects motion approach infinite. At this point, whether the object is a flattened cylinder or a rod would not matter, as the possible outcomes are practically the same.