Pucks

A puck is a small, hard disc used in several sports to slide across a playing surface. The most familiar context is ice hockey, where the puck is struck and passed on an ice rink. The standard hockey puck is a solid disk of vulcanized rubber, usually black, with a diameter of 3 inches (76 mm), a thickness of 1 inch (25 mm), and a weight of 5.5 to 6 ounces (156–170 g). It is designed to be dense and durable to withstand high-speed impacts and cold conditions on ice. In many games, pucks are briefly frozen before play to reduce bounce and improve predictability.

In air hockey, the puck is a lightweight disk used on a specialized table that provides an air cushion. It is typically made of hard plastic or composite material and is guided by players with a paddle. Air hockey pucks are designed to glide quickly and smoothly across the surface with minimal friction and spin.

Other contexts largely preserve the same basic form—a circular, disk-shaped object used as a play piece or prop. While the materials and exact dimensions vary by game, the term “puck” generally denotes a small, round object optimized for fast movement across a flat surface.