Do heavier objects fall faster?

Discussion in 'Physics & Math' started by mountainhare, Aug 2, 2004.

  1. Ace Registered Member

    Messages:
    2
    Thank you MacM,

    I had this argument with my physics teacher in High School, and the moron could never get in into his puny pea sized brain.

    He compared me to my classmates, asking them why they weren't "more like Mr. Hall"? What a jerk, he ought to be strung up by the toes and beaten to death with a pillowcase filled with feathers and pennies.

    His name was Arthur Schang.

    Ace
     
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  3. URI IMU Registered Senior Member

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    729
    see Allias effect

    More dense objects in orbit decay faster than less dense objects.
     
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  5. CANGAS Registered Senior Member

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    1,612
    F = ( G x M1 x M2 ) / r.

    F = M x a: a = F/M
     
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  7. CANGAS Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    1,612
    URI:

    They fall apart into constituent particles quicker?
     
  8. MacM Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    10,104
    F = G * m1 * m2 /. r<sup>2</sup>

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  9. CANGAS Registered Senior Member

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    1,612
    Thank you, MacM.

    Sooner or later I will learn to avoid writing important things when I am too tired to be alert and accurate.

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    I am glad you have helped me get my r's squared away.

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    Last edited: Dec 31, 2005
  10. alain du hast mich Registered Senior Member

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    1,179
    someone may already have said this
    gravitational force on an object on earth = universal gravitational constant x mass of the object x mass of the earth / distance squared

    and acceleration = force / mass

    so if you make the mass twice as big, the force will be twice as big (from the first equation) however, acceleration will be the same (due to the second equation)

    the reason that the cardboard fell faster, is that the upwards force on both paper and cardboard of the same size is equal, and so, by the second equation, the upwards acceleration on the card board is much less, as its mass is much greater
     
  11. leopold Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    17,455
    there is some video shot on the moon that will answer your question.
    a hammer and a feather were dropped from the same height
    they both hit the ground at the same time
     
  12. MacM Registered Senior Member

    Messages:
    10,104
    Correct, assuming precise same height over the surface and dropped simultaneously.

    However, the actual time between being dropped and contact with the ground is slightly less than had the hammer or feather been dropped from the same height at seperate times.

    Also, dropped seperately the hammer will hit the ground in less time than the feather when dropped seperately.
     
  13. Blue_UK Drifting Mind Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    1,449
    Guys, if you look on page 1 or 2, you'll see I've already provided a nice proof. I even used colours to mark the different numbers.

    Here
     
    Last edited: Jan 1, 2006

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