Galileo and Gravity
items needed: basketball, tennis ball and a stair well or your desk if no stair well is advailable, two sheets of paper.
DO not drop from more than one floor of stairs. The balls will bounce
to high. have a student stick both hands out and place the basketball and
tennis ball in their hands. Have them determine which is heavier. Most of
the students will think that the heavier basketball will drop faster. Go
to the stair well. Hold both balls in your hand at the same height. Drop
them ant the same time. Both balls will hit at the same time. Objects accelerate
at the same speed towards the earth unless air resistance is a factor. To
show this take the two sheets of paper. Make one into a ball and leave the
other as a sheet. drop them at the same time. The sheet will fall much slower.
because of air resistance. If you do not have a stair well, stand on top
of your desk and do this. Raise the balls close to the ceiling and drop
them.