Galileo hypothesis . . .

Robert S.

GT40s Supporter
unbelievable that he worked that out before any one new about vacuum.
john

UR right about that John.

Sadly, I always thought it was the weight of an object in combination with gravity that determined how fast it would reach maximum speed. But then I didn't pay too much attention in school.
 
the interesting part is that the size or weight of an object has absolutely no correllation to fast it falls, terminal velocity is always the same regardless, but i cant for the life of me remember how fast that is, approx 120kph i think.
 

Ron Earp

Admin
Gentlemen, vacuum was known to Galileo and indeed postulated in his hypothesis. Vacuum was also known to many scientists of the day, notably Robert Hooke, Robert Boyle and others. Boyle's gas law is named for Mr. Boyle and vacuum pumps were used extensively to show the relationship between gas characteristics and to prove the relationships valid.

The size and weight of an object have no bearing on how fast it falls in a vacuum. But the terminal velocity of an object falling through a gas (atmosphere) is not the same for different sizes and weights of objects.
 
the interesting part is that the size or weight of an object has absolutely no correllation to fast it falls, terminal velocity is always the same regardless, but i cant for the life of me remember how fast that is, approx 120kph i think.
There is no such thing as terminal velocity in a vacuum. In the atmosphere, terminal velocity is a function of the absolute drag of the object (proportional to the square of the speed), its weight, and the atmospheric density. Something like a long lead arrow shape might even approach the speed of sound.
 

Neil

Supporter
Look up "Magdeburg hemispheres" to see that vacuums were well known as early as 1654.

Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ
 
In a vacuum the object in motion will continue to accelerate proportional to the force of gravity for so long as it is still in a vacuum and with room to continue in motion.
 
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