Gravity?

[OldLady]

If you drop a man's wristwatch and a piece of bubblegum from the top of the Empire State Building at exactly the same time, which one hits the ground first?

Depends on how they are shaped. In a vacuum they would hit at the same time. But the Empire State Building is surrounded by air. If a great big bubble has been blown in the bubble gum, the bubble will act as a parachute.

But my experiment did not have a big bubble blown in the gum. What would work, I guess, to test this out, would be if I had two items of identical size and shape that were made of two materials such as a ping pong ball and an identically sized ball of lead.

You did not say whether it did or did not... until now.

The air friction would have much more effect on the ping pong ball because the ping pong ball is less dense. The air friction would have hardly any effect on the ball of lead from that height compared to the effect the air friction has on the ping pong ball.

I don't understand that. Why should the friction be any different if they are exactly the same size and shape? Both totally smooth on the outside.

 

[Maxdeath]

If you drop a man's wristwatch and a piece of bubblegum from the top of the Empire State Building at exactly the same time, which one hits the ground first?

Depends on how they are shaped. In a vacuum they would hit at the same time. But the Empire State Building is surrounded by air. If a great big bubble has been blown in the bubble gum, the bubble will act as a parachute.

But my experiment did not have a big bubble blown in the gum. What would work, I guess, to test this out, would be if I had two items of identical size and shape that were made of two materials such as a ping pong ball and an identically sized ball of lead.

Sounds like you are trying to relearn Galileo's experiments. I would say learn about what he was credited with already doing.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

If you drop a man's wristwatch and a piece of bubblegum from the top of the Empire State Building at exactly the same time, which one hits the ground first?

They should both hit the ground at the same time.

 

[WorldWatcher]

Bubblegum, dear. And a Timex. No bullets.

The formula is the same whether its bullet or a Volkswagen dear.
.
.
.
.WW

 

[JoeMoma]

They SHOULD hit the ground at the same time.

Only if the fall occurred in a vacuum.

Other wise you have to account for drag which changes the objects velocity meaning they hit the ground at different times.
.
.
.
.WW

The larger watch would encounter more friction so the larger item would actually fall slower?

Not necessarily.

Why not?

Depends on how the watches are shaped. The larger watch could have a smaller surface area to mass ratio than the smaller watch for one thing.

 

[OldLady]

If you drop a man's wristwatch and a piece of bubblegum from the top of the Empire State Building at exactly the same time, which one hits the ground first?

Depends on how they are shaped. In a vacuum they would hit at the same time. But the Empire State Building is surrounded by air. If a great big bubble has been blown in the bubble gum, the bubble will act as a parachute.

But my experiment did not have a big bubble blown in the gum. What would work, I guess, to test this out, would be if I had two items of identical size and shape that were made of two materials such as a ping pong ball and an identically sized ball of lead.

Sounds like you are trying to relearn Galileo's experiments. I would say learn about what he was credited with already doing.

I would say mind your own business and if you're not interested in helping me understand it, move on.

 

[WorldWatcher]

Well, I sort of thought of that and tried to come up with two items that wouldn't have a lot of difference in "drag."
So my original question was to see if mass changes the action of gravity, and I'm guessing the answer is no?

Correct.

Actually the answer "no" is incorrect.

Mass is a component of the Terminal Velocity formula and changes in mass change the terminal velocity or in other words the speed at which an object falls through Earth's atmosphere assuming standard gravitational pull.

Other factors include air density, drag coefficient, and area.
.
.
.
.WW

 

[OldLady]

Bubblegum, dear. And a Timex. No bullets.

The formula is the same whether its bullet or a Volkswagen dear.
.
.
.
.WW

Then why did you insert a bullet?

 

[JoeMoma]

Bubblegum, dear. And a Timex. No bullets.

The formula is the same whether its bullet or a Volkswagen dear.
.
.
.
.WW

But the values of the variables will be different for a bullet and a Volkswagen.

 

[WorldWatcher]

But my experiment did not have a big bubble blown in the gum. What would work, I guess, to test this out, would be if I had two items of identical size and shape that were made of two materials such as a ping pong ball and an identically sized ball of lead.

Given the new parameters:

1. Identical size and shape (assuming you mean same area and drag).
2. On ping pong ball (assuming you mean lite, hollow table tennis type) and a equally sized ball of lead.

Then you can say that the lead ball will hit first based on the higher mass given all other factors being the same.
.
.
.
.WW

 

[WorldWatcher]

But the values of the variables will be different for a bullet and a Volkswagen.

True, that's what the other veribables are for - to account for those differences.

Mass is a function of matter (which is different than weight) and has nothing to do with the shape of the matter.
.
.
.
.WW

 

[JoeMoma]

Well, I sort of thought of that and tried to come up with two items that wouldn't have a lot of difference in "drag."
So my original question was to see if mass changes the action of gravity, and I'm guessing the answer is no?

Correct.

Actually the answer "no" is incorrect.

Mass is a component of the Terminal Velocity formula and changes in mass change the terminal velocity or in other words the speed at which an object falls through Earth's atmosphere assuming standard gravitational pull.

Other factors include air density, drag coefficient, and area.
.
.
.
.WW

Okay. If I drop two identically shaped but different weight objects off the top of the Empire State Building at exactly the same time, the air density will be the same and the area is the same. The only difference would be drag, but if the items are identically shaped, there shouldn't be any difference in drag either.

But the force of gravity will be greater on the object that weighs the most. So more force to overcome the drag means that object falls faster.

 

[OldLady]

Thanks guys! I learned a lot.

 

[WorldWatcher]

Okay. If I drop two identically shaped but different weight objects off the top of the Empire State Building at exactly the same time, the air density will be the same and the area is the same. The only difference would be drag, but if the items are identically shaped, there shouldn't be any difference in drag either.

Two identically shaped objects with different weights would have different mass.

Mass is a variable in the formula. Keep all other variables the same (drag, area, gravity, air density) then the heavier mass will fall faster.

It's not my personal opinion, it's algebra.
.
.
.
.WW

 

[JoeMoma]

But the values of the variables will be different for a bullet and a Volkswagen.

True, that's what the other veribables are for - to account for those differences.

Mass is a function of matter (which is different than weight) and has nothing to do with the shape of the matter.
.
.
.
.WW

The drag coefficient is effected by the shape of the object.

 

[WorldWatcher]

But the force of gravity will be greater on the object that weighs the most. So more force to overcome the drag means that object falls faster.

That is not correct.

The force of gravity is uniform within the gravity well of earth for a given location (might be some slight variation between the bottom of the ocean and the top of a mountain).

A feather sitting next to a 2-ton slap of steel has the same force of gravity applied to it. The force of gravity is normally provided as acceleration which for Earth normal is 9.8 meters/second/second in a vacuum. The other factors can then slow this down.
.
.
.
.WW

 

[WorldWatcher]

The drag coefficient is effected by the shape of the object.

Correct, in part.

Drag coefficient is determined in part by shape as it presents an area to airflow, it is also impacted by skin friction in how easily air passes over the service.

A ping pong ball with a matte finish should have a slightly higher drag coefficient then one painted with a gloss paint - even for the same size - as the gloss paint would have less friction.
.
.
.
.WW

 

[BULLDOG]

Why would you want to spit bubble gum off the top of the Empire State Building? That's just nasty.

 

[rightwinger]

If you drop a man's wristwatch and a piece of bubblegum from the top of the Empire State Building at exactly the same time, which one hits the ground first?

Is the bubblegum in a bubble?

 

[yidnar]

If you drop a man's wristwatch and a piece of bubblegum from the top of the Empire State Building at exactly the same time, which one hits the ground first?

if the bubble gum has been chewed the watch will hit 1st ... the wind is so strong that the bubble gum would be blown and would stick to the side of the building .