Same weight but different shape

Now take two things of the same weight but different shape:

This would be like if you take two sheets of paper, then you crumple one up into a ball but leave the other flat. So each sheet is the same weight but now each has a different shape. Now drop them at the same time. Which one do you think will hit the ground first?

(a)   they will land at the same time

(b)   the crumpled one will land first

(c )   the flat one will land first

Why don't you experiment yourself using a crumpled up piece of paper and a flat piece of paper!

What you learned in the apple experiment is true. However, when you have very light things, like pieces of paper, things are quite complicated. The flat piece falls more slowly because it has a larger area than the crumpled piece. So more air gets trapped under it and slows it up. This is called ‘Air Resistance’.

Dropping Things in a Vacuum

Do you think that this will make any difference to the speed at which light things will fall?

So Galileo was right after all!