How to determine the path the cue ball will take off a cusion - plain ball

[Kevycanavan]

Hi hope someone can help

[Phil C]

In what type of context are we talking here?

[Kevycanavan]

It seems in some situations the cue ball moves at right angles off the cushions, especially after the first cushion. But is there a basic fundamental rule for how the ball will bounce off the cushion off the first rail.
Is is the same angle that it made contact on? Or is it more complex than that?

[matt926_uk]

if you hit a ball say at a 45 degree angle towards a cushion it will bounce off it at 45 degrees provided there is no spin on the ball, so yes it bounces off at the same angle it goes on

[DeanH]

angle of incidence = angle of reflection
[from the perpendicular of the reflecting face (cushion)]
45deg in = 45 deg out
30deg in = 30 deg out

of course this does not precisely happen due to physical properties of the cushion, rubber, cloth, dust, chalk, finger marks, unwanted side, beer-stains, etc, etc.

but it is a good starter for you to estimate the return path