How Galileo explained that heavy objects fall at the same speed as light ones
How Galileo explained that heavy objects fall at the same speed as light ones
Galileo Galilei
proved it by dropping two objects from the
Leaning Tower of Pisa
. But this wasn't enough to convince contemporary academics. He had to use
Symmetry (physics)
.
If we drop three objects of the same shape and mass at the same time, do they arrive at the ground at the same time? They agreed.
What if we move the objects horizontally closer or farther away before dropping them? They agreed that they would hit the ground at the same time.
What if two of the objects are so close that touch before dropping them? They accepted the result wouldn't change.
So, if the two objects that touch have double the mass that the third object, what difference does it make? Then, they finally believed that heavy objects fall at the same speed as light ones.
Hec Perez
@hec
Examples of advancing a field by clever reasoning instead of new evidence
Examples
How Galileo explained that heavy objects fall at the same speed as light ones
— new evidence wasn't enough in this case — dropping two balls from the Tower of Pisa — but he had to use an argument by physical symmetry