Google Classroom
GeoGebraGeoGebra Classroom

Galileo's Law of Falling Bodies

Galileo's Tower of Pisa Experiment

http://www.esperimentifisica.cloud/phisics_laboratory/example_Galilei_Pisa/FallingBodies.html (The simulation is slowed by a factor of about 8 times

Check the following two hypotheses:

  • Aristotle: An object falls with a speed proportionate to its weight that is, the heavier the object, the faster it falls.
  • Galileo: The rate of fall caused by gravity is the same for all objects.
Instructions: Fix the diameter of the ball and measure the time of fall for various values of the mass. For example, mass from 10g to 10 kg  Fix the mass of the ball and measure the time of fall by changing the values of the diameter. For example, D: 10cm to 100cm  Transfer the experimental data to an Excel spreadsheet and analyse the results. What can you infer from these experiments?  Check Galileo's Law of Falling Bodies  The distance traveled by a falling body is directly proportional to the square of the time it takes to fall. Measure the falling time each 10 meters. Repeat  the measurement several times Use an Excel spreadsheet to analyse the results.