Boxi Learn › Physics › Stage 3 · Structure and Evidence
Do heavy things fall faster?
PHY-1 A force changes motion, it does not keep it goingX-1 Guess, then checkX-2 Evidence outweighs opinion
What many people think
Heavier objects fall faster.
The idea
Without air, everything falls with the same acceleration g; differences come from air resistance, which matters more for light, wide objects.
Explain it
A friend says 'heavy things fall faster'. Using the words 'air' and 'mass', explain when they are right and when they are wrong.
Try at home
Drop a book and a sheet of paper side by side. Then lay the paper flat on top of the book and drop both. Last, crumple the paper into a ball and race it against the book.