Question

Compare and contrast Aristotelian and galilean views of motion

Answer 1

Aristotle only ever considered the speed at which objects fall once they had reached final velocity. The moving force was the measurable weight, and the final velocity depended on the size and shape of the object and the medium through which it fell.

Galileo was aware of Aristotle’s theories, but was concerned with extending them to cover the early part of motion during which which drag was irrelevant. He demonstrated first that if an object was dense enough the speed of falling was barely affected by its mass.

Answer 2

An Aristotelian proposal that heavier objects fall at the same rate was proved false by the only plausible Galilean explanation that all objects fall at the same rate