Galileo did experiments to prove that heavy objects and lighter objects will fall at the same rate. This meant that, taken to extremes, a hammer and a feather should fall at the same rate. However, a feather tends to float slowly because of air resistance. During the Apollo 15 moon mission in 1971, astronaut David Scott had the perfect opportunity to prove Gaileo's point, because there was no air to cause drag on the feather. And some falcon on earth never knew how far a part of him flew. How about that? (via reddit)
On the BBC in the UK, the presenter James Burke then threw a hammer and feather in the studio with predictable result, all in black and white TV. I believe the tapes are lost so it's my memory age 8.
Later NASA did the same thing on Earth inside an amazing vacuum chamber.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E43-CfukEgs
Thanks, David. That WAS neat, but I have to admit I skipped forward to see the fall.
ReplyDeleteSo, take that, Aristotle!
ReplyDeleteOn the BBC in the UK, the presenter James Burke then threw a hammer and feather in the studio with predictable result, all in black and white TV. I believe the tapes are lost so it's my memory age 8.
ReplyDelete