When the aluminum ball and the steel ball are dropped from the same height, they both experience the same acceleration due to gravity, which is approximately 9.8 m/s^2. This means that both balls are accelerating towards the ground at the same rate.
Additionally, the mass of an object does not affect the rate at which it falls under gravity in a vacuum (ignoring air resistance). This principle was famously demonstrated by Galileo in the 16th century. This means that the mass of the aluminum ball and the steel ball does not factor into how quickly they fall to the ground.
Therefore, since both balls experience the same acceleration due to gravity and their mass does not affect their rate of fall, the aluminum ball and the steel ball of similar size and shape will reach the ground at the same time.
Explain why an aluminum ball and a steel ball of similar size and shape, dropped from the
same height, reach the ground at the same time
1 answer