Does required time for free falling bodies is independent of mass?

In summary, Professor Walter Lewin discussed the ongoing efforts of prestigious physicists to prove that the time required for an apple to fall is dependent on its mass, which could potentially lead to a Nobel Prize if proven. This idea challenges the theory of General Relativity, but has not been observed yet.
  • #1
ddnath
16
0
In a class at OCW 8.01 Professor Walter Lewin said...

"...there are very prestigious physicists who even nowadays do very fancy
experiments and they try to demonstrate that the time for an apple to fall does depend on its mass even though it probably is only very small, if it's true but they try to prove that. And if any of them succeeds or anyone of you succeeds that's certainly worth a Nobel Prize."

What did he actually mean? Really?! Is it possible to proof that time required for free falling of bodies is not independent of mass?
 
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  • #2
Is it possible to proof that time required for free falling of bodies is not independent of mass?
We don't know. It has not been observed yet, but it could be observed in the future.
IF there is any deviation (that is a big if), it would mean that General Relativity is wrong.
 

1. What is meant by "required time for free falling bodies is independent of mass"?

The statement means that the time it takes for an object to fall from a certain height due to gravity is not affected by the mass of the object.

2. Is this statement applicable to all objects?

Yes, this statement applies to all objects regardless of their mass or weight. It is a fundamental principle of physics known as the Equivalence Principle.

3. How does this principle apply to real-world scenarios?

This principle is applicable in scenarios such as objects falling from a height, skydiving, and even planetary motion. In all these cases, the time it takes for an object to fall remains the same regardless of its mass.

4. Is the speed of the falling object affected by its mass?

Yes, the speed of a falling object is affected by its mass. However, the time it takes for the object to fall remains the same.

5. What other factors can affect the time it takes for an object to fall?

The time it takes for an object to fall can also be affected by air resistance, the shape of the object, and the height from which it is falling. In a vacuum, where there is no air resistance, the time would be independent of these factors as well.

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