Apparatus is described whereby the time of impact of a freely falling sphere on a horizontal surface is measured electrically without direct connexion to the sphere. The time of impact of an 8 mm steel sphere on a solid Pyrex glass slab is 18 μs at room temperature and is the same within ±10% at 700° C. Over this range of temperatures the absorption of fractional impact energy increases considerably and rebound is zero at about 1000° C.