A volleyball is a ball

Ball

A ball is a round, usually spherical but sometimes ovoid, object with various uses. It is used in ball games, where the play of the game follows the state of the ball as it is hit, kicked or thrown by players. Balls can also be used for simpler activities, such as catch, marbles and juggling...

 used to play indoor volleyball, beach volleyball

Beach volleyball

Beach volleyball, or sand volleyball, is an Olympic team sport played by two teams of two players on a sand court divided by a net.Like volleyball, the object of the game is to send the ball over the net in order to ground it on the opponent’s court, and to prevent the same effort by the opponent....

, or other less common variations of the sport

Volleyball variations

As volleyball is one of the world's most popular team sports, second only to football in the number of players, there are numerous variations of the basic rules. The rules have changed around the world since its creation in 1895, as skills have developed, to make the game more suited for...

. Volleyballs are round and traditionally consist of eighteen nearly rectangular panels of synthetic or genuine leather, arranged in six identical sections of three panels each, wrapped around a bladder. However, in 2008, the FIVB adopted as its official indoor ball a new Mikasa

Mikasa Sports

Mikasa Sports is a sports equipment company based in Hiroshima, Japan.Their football, basketball, volleyball and handball are often used for official matches, games and competitions...

 with dimples and only eight panels for a softer touch and truer flight. A valve

Valve

A valve is a device that regulates, directs or controls the flow of a fluid by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways. Valves are technically pipe fittings, but are usually discussed as a separate category...

 permits the internal air pressure

Pressure

Pressure is the force per unit area applied in a direction perpendicular to the surface of an object. Gauge pressure is the pressure relative to the local atmospheric or ambient pressure.- Definition :...

 to be adjusted.

Volleyball characteristics

Indoor volleyballs are designed for the indoor version of the sport, and beach volleyballs for the beach game.

Indoor volleyballs may be solid white or a combination of two or three different easily distinguishable colors. They are made in two versions: the youth version is slightly smaller and weighs much less than an adult volleyball and than the standard version to accommodate children's use.

Beach volleyballs are slightly larger than standard indoor balls, have a rougher external texture, and a lower internal pressure. They may be brightly colored or solid white.

Volleyball characteristics

	Circumference cm (inches)	Mass gram Gram The gram is a metric system unit of mass.... s (ounce Ounce The ounce is a unit of mass with several definitions, the most commonly used of which are equal to approximately 28 grams. The ounce is used in a number of different systems, including various systems of mass that form part of the imperial and United States customary systems... s)	Internal pressure kgf/cm² Technical atmosphere A technical atmosphere is a non-SI unit of pressure equal to one kilogram-force per square centimeter.The symbol "at" clashes with that of the katal , the SI unit of catalytic activity; a kilotechnical atmosphere would have the symbol "kat", indistinguishable from the symbol for the katal...  (psi Pounds per square inch The pound per square inch or, more accurately, pound-force per square inch is a unit of pressure or of stress based on avoirdupois units... )
Standard indoor	65-67 (25.5-26.5)	260-280 (9.2-9.9)	0.3-0.325 (4.3-4.6)
Youth indoor	63-65 (25-26)	240-260 (8.5-9.2)	0.3 (4.3)
Beach	66-68 (26-27)	260-280 (9.2-9.9)	0.175-0.225 (2.5-3.2)

Major brands

There are several brands of competitive volleyballs in use, including, but not limited to:

• Tachikara
  Tachikara
  Tachikara is a Japanese company, founded in 1915, that makes balls and other sports equipment. They are best known for their volleyballs. They make the official ball of NAIA women's volleyball, and of Volleyball Canada, China, Europe, Oceania, and Africa....
  
  
• Cosco
• Molten
  Molten Corporation
  is a sports equipment and automotive parts company based in Hiroshima, Japan.Their football, basketball, volleyball and handball are often used for official matches, games and competitions...
  
  
• Wilson
  Wilson Sporting Goods
  The Wilson Sporting Goods Company is a sports equipment manufacturer based in Chicago, Illinois, and currently is a foreign subsidiary of the Finnish company Amer Sports....
  
  
• Mikasa
  Mikasa Sports
  Mikasa Sports is a sports equipment company based in Hiroshima, Japan.Their football, basketball, volleyball and handball are often used for official matches, games and competitions...
  
  
• Indpro
• Baden
• Spalding
  Spalding (sports equipment)
  Spalding is a sporting goods company founded by Albert Spalding in Chicago, Illinois, in 1876 and now headquartered in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The company specializes in the production of balls for many sports, but is most-known for its basketballs...
  
  

Most of these brands also make cheaper variations for recreational (non-competitive) use.

Adopted use

• Mikasa makes the official balls of the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball
  Fédération Internationale de Volleyball
  The Fédération Internationale de Volleyball , commonly known by the acronym FIVB, is the international governing body for the sport of indoor, beach and grass volleyball.. Its headquarters are located in Lausanne, Switzerland and its current president is Wei Jizhong .- History :The FIVB was founded...
  
   (beach and indoor).
• Molten makes the official ball of USA Volleyball
  USA Volleyball
  USA Volleyball is a non-profit organization which serves as the national governing body of volleyball in the United States of America ....
  
   (indoor).
• Wilson makes the official ball of the Association of Volleyball Professionals
  Association of Volleyball Professionals
  The Association of Volleyball Professionals, or AVP, is a beach volleyball tour which takes place throughout the United States. The summer tour starts in April and continues almost every weekend until the end of October....
  
  (beach).