Influence of spark discharges on multiple collisions of two steel balls in Newton’s cradle

The influence of spark discharges on multiple collisions between two balls in Newton’s cradle has been studied experimentally. The collision-free motion of a single pendulum, as well as the motion of two pendulums, has been recorded. The pendulum oscillations have been found to decay nonmonotonically (the so-called beating effect has been observed) both in the presence and absence of collisions with spark discharges. When observing the damped oscillations of the pendulums, it has turned out that ball collisions increase the damping ratio, whereas spark discharges decrease it.