Have you ever heard the saying, “Seeing is believing”? Sometimes, things aren’t exactly what they seem, especially when it comes to how objects fall. Let’s explore why some things fall faster than others and what really affects their speed.
On Earth, all objects, no matter how heavy, fall at the same speed. But they can appear to fall at different speeds because of something called air resistance. Air resistance is the friction between a moving object and the air around it. For example, if you drop a hammer and a feather from the same height, the hammer will hit the ground first because the feather experiences more air resistance.
To understand this better, let’s look at an experiment by astronaut Commander Dave Scott. In 1971, he dropped a feather and a hammer on the Moon, and they both hit the ground at the same time. Why? The Moon has almost no atmosphere, so there’s no air resistance to slow down the feather.
To see how air resistance works on Earth, let’s imagine an experiment with cartoon Sabrina. First, she drops a ball from a ladder and notes how long it takes to hit the ground. Then, she attaches a parachute to the ball and drops it again. This time, it takes longer to reach the ground because the parachute increases air resistance.
Now, what if there was no air at all? In a vacuum, where there’s no air, Sabrina drops the ball and the ball with a parachute. Surprisingly, they both hit the ground at the same time! Without air, there’s no air resistance, so nothing slows down the falling objects.
This experiment shows that air resistance plays a huge role in how fast things fall on Earth. Without it, all objects would fall at the same speed, just like on the Moon. So, next time you see something fall, remember that it’s not just gravity at work—air resistance is a big part of the story!
Feather and Hammer Drop Experiment: Try a simple experiment at home to see air resistance in action. Gather a small hammer or a heavy object and a feather or a piece of paper. Hold them at the same height and drop them at the same time. Observe which one hits the ground first. Discuss why the feather or paper takes longer to fall. Ask yourself, “What would happen if there was no air?”
Create Your Own Parachute: Make a parachute using a plastic bag, some string, and a small toy. Drop the toy without the parachute and then with the parachute from the same height. Notice how the parachute changes the speed of the fall. Think about how air resistance is affecting the toy’s fall. Ask, “How does the parachute help the toy fall more slowly?”
Observe and Predict: Next time you’re outside, watch how different things fall, like leaves, stones, or seeds. Predict which will fall faster and why. After observing, discuss what you noticed about air resistance and how it affects the speed of falling objects. Consider, “How does the shape or size of an object change how it falls?”
