Galileo Galilei was an Italian physicist, mathematician, astronomer, and philosopher who played a major role in the Scientific Revolution. His achievements include improvements to the telescope and consequent astronomical observations, the falling body theoretical experiment and support for Copernicus' heliocentric model. Stephen Hawking says, "Galileo, perhaps more than any other single person, was responsible for the birth of modern science."
Best known for supporting the heliocentric view which placed the Sun at the centre of the universe. Galileo's views were met with bitter opposition from some philosophers and clerics and as a result he was brought before the Roman Inquisition.
- Wikipedia
Science Fair Project Information
Title: Galileo Galilei: The Falling Bodies Experiment
Subject: Physics
Grade level: Middle / High School, Grades 6-12
Academic Level: Ordinary
Project Type: Experimental
Cost: Low
Affiliation: Science Fair Projects and Experiments
Description: Dropping a coin and a paper disc to demonstrate that both objects will reach the ground at the same time. More advanced experiments, to demonstrate further the topic, include inclined plane and pendulum experiments.
Link: http://www.juliantrubin.com/bigten/galileofallingbodies.html
Monday, February 15, 2010
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
A reciprocal version of Galileo's law of falling bodies v^2=d being velocity squared equals distance fallen was discovered by Johannes Kepler a contemporary of Galileo. This reciprocal version is v^2=1/r where d+r equals the major axis of the elliptical orbit.
Further to my comment of 27 April 2011, let L indicate a small change then from v^2=d=(1/r) we have v^2+Lv^2=d+Ld=1/(r-Ld) for the usual method of measuring velocity. However for the reciprocal method of measuring the same velocity we have
v^2+Lv^2=r+Lr=1/(d-Lr). The same velocity can either be measured as distance per unit time or as its reciprocal being time per unit distance.
Post a Comment