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In a vacuum or in the absence of air resistance, all objects, regardless of their weight or mass, fall at the same rate. This principle is known as the equivalence principle and was famously demonstrated by Galileo. It means that in the absence of air resistance, objects fall solely due to gravity, and their mass does not affect the rate of descent.
However, in the real world, air resistance can play a role. In an environment with air, heavier objects may experience slightly more air resistance, but the difference is often negligible for most everyday scenarios. In a vacuum, where there is no air to provide resistance, all objects fall at the same rate due to gravity alone.
Prince Kebin
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoThey don't fall faster. Weight has nothing to do with how fast things fall. Gravity is a constant and all things fall at the same speed due to gravity. A cannon ball drop from a high building would hit the ground at the same time as a soccer ball dropped from the same height at the same time. The only thing that makes one faster or slower is wind resistance (aerodynamics). If you take a piece of paper and a steel ball the steel ball hits the ground first because of its lack of wind resistance compared to the sheet of paper. Now take that sheet of paper and screw it up tightly so that it is the same size and shape as the steel ball and try the experiment again; they will hit the ground at the same time, because the have the same aerodynamic value.
Weight has nothing to do with how fast things fall, only wind resistance. Take two 16 ounce soda bottles, open one drink eight ounces. The unopened bottle is twice as heavy as the opened bottle. Close the bottle you just drank half of and drop them at the same time from a tall building, they will hit the ground at the same time. That is because gravity is a constant and the velocity of any falling object is 9.8 meters per second/per second.
Acceleration is the same for all objects at 9.8m/sec/sec.
Acceleration due to gravity near the earth's surface is the same for all objects regardless of their mass.
This is because acceleration is inversely proportional to mass:
a = F / m
If you substitute the "force of gravity" equation above for F in this simple equation, and assume m here is m1 there, you'll find you have m1 (mass of the falling object) on both sides of the fraction, so they cancel out - acceleration due to gravity doesn't change with the mass of the object. But the force most definitely does.
Force and acceleration are two very different things. Confusing them leads to wrong answers and further confusion in later topics.
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Why do objects all fall at the same time when gravity is the only force acting?
-- Because that's the way gravity behaves. -- Because is would be ridiculous to think that heavy objects fall faster. Here's why: ==> Let's say that heavy objects fall faster and light objects fall slower. ==> Take a piece of sticky tape and stick a light object onto the back of a heavy object. Then drop them together off of a roof. ==> The light object tries to fall slower and holds back, and the heavy object tries to fall faster and pulls forward. So when they're stuck together, they fall at some in-between speed. ==> But wait! When they're stuck together they weigh more than the heavy object alone. So how can a stuck-together object that's heavier than the heavy object alone fall at a speed that's slower than the heavy object alone ? ! ? Isn't that ridiculous ? There's no way that heavy objects can fall faster than light objects.
Why do lighter objects fall slower than heavy objects?
It doesn't. But what makes a book fall faster (seemingly) than a feather or piece of paper (lets say) is air pressure, and the way it is shaped.
Do objects that fall toward Earth fall faster and faster?
They will fall faster and faster until friction slows the rate of descent.
Do heavy objects fall to the ground before light objects?
No, they fall at the same time.
Why do heavy objects sink in quicksand?
objects sink in quicksand because they are so heavy they make a bigger hole in the sand,they go faster objects sink in quicksand because they are so heavy they make a bigger hole in the sand,they go faster
Aristotle said heavy objects will fall faster and Galileo said heavy and light objects will fall at the same acceleration?
Yes, that is correct.
Why do objects all fall at the same time when gravity is the only force acting?
-- Because that's the way gravity behaves. -- Because is would be ridiculous to think that heavy objects fall faster. Here's why: ==> Let's say that heavy objects fall faster and light objects fall slower. ==> Take a piece of sticky tape and stick a light object onto the back of a heavy object. Then drop them together off of a roof. ==> The light object tries to fall slower and holds back, and the heavy object tries to fall faster and pulls forward. So when they're stuck together, they fall at some in-between speed. ==> But wait! When they're stuck together they weigh more than the heavy object alone. So how can a stuck-together object that's heavier than the heavy object alone fall at a speed that's slower than the heavy object alone ? ! ? Isn't that ridiculous ? There's no way that heavy objects can fall faster than light objects.
Why do lighter objects fall slower than heavy objects?
It doesn't. But what makes a book fall faster (seemingly) than a feather or piece of paper (lets say) is air pressure, and the way it is shaped.
Do objects that fall toward Earth fall faster and faster?
They will fall faster and faster until friction slows the rate of descent.
Do heavy objects fall to the ground before light objects?
No, they fall at the same time.
How long in seconds would it take for an object to fall 120 meters?
depends on weight of object and wind strength.normally heavy objects will drop down faster than lighter objects.
Why do heavy objects sink in quicksand?
objects sink in quicksand because they are so heavy they make a bigger hole in the sand,they go faster objects sink in quicksand because they are so heavy they make a bigger hole in the sand,they go faster
Why do objects that are round fall faster than objects that are flat?
Air resistance.
Why do heavier objects fall faster then lighter objects?
Heavier objects have more gravitational pull on them
Why heavier objects fall faster than do lighter objects?
They don't. All objects fall at the same rate of speed because of weight.
Does lighter objects fall down faster then heavier objects?
No lighter things do not fall faster than heavier things. In a vacuum they will fall at the same speed. Normally the heavier thing will fall down faster because of its weight. Sometimes the lighter thing falls faster depending on the air resistance.
Who believed that heavy objects fall faster than lighter ones?
For most of human history, everybody did. After Galileo, "philosophers" and scientists learned otherwise. Many people still do.
