this post was submitted on 28 May 2024
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Science Memes

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Falling (mander.xyz)
submitted 5 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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[–] [email protected] 12 points 5 months ago (3 children)

Does the bowling ball ever so slightly increase the gravitational constant because of it's greater mass? Is that what the right guy is getting at?

[–] [email protected] 39 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

The gravitational constant G, no, the mutual gravitational force between the earth and the ball approximated as g, yes.

Edit: Since this is a little pedantic, G is used to calculate g.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) (1 children)

But how would that make the bowling ball fall faster? F = G × m₁ × m₂ / r² and F = m₁ × a ⇒ a = F / m = G × m₂ / r², where m₁ is the mass of the ball and m₂ the mass of the planet. So the gravitational acceleration of a bowling ball is independent of its mass (assuming the planet has way more mass than a bowling ball).

[–] [email protected] 18 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

I guess the bowling ball attracts the Earth towards it, shortening the distance so it hits the ground faster

[–] [email protected] 5 points 5 months ago (2 children)

No. F=GMm/d2. The mass of the earth doesn’t change so g=GM/d2 will not change

[–] [email protected] 8 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Ah but the earth doesn't just attract the ball or feather. The bowling ball attracts the earth as well, and since it has more mass, it will pull the earth towards it faster than the feather.

But if you drop them at the same time, that's moot.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago (1 children)

In other words, the feather and ball are both attracted to the earth at the same rate but because the ball has a higher mass, the earth is very slightly more attracted to the ball

[–] [email protected] 1 points 5 months ago

Maybe the ball is just more of their type?

[–] [email protected] 6 points 5 months ago (4 children)

So why does the bowling ball fall faster in a vacuum? Does it appear faster locally because the heavier object makes local time slower than the lighter object compared to a distant observer? I'm trying to understand what the meme is getting at.

[–] Tja 6 points 5 months ago

That's the neat thing: it doesn't

[–] [email protected] 4 points 5 months ago

The bowling ball also pulls the earth towards itself. This amount is imperceptibly small but still there

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago

I’m trying to understand as well.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago (1 children)

Because it, ever so slightly, pulls Earth towards it with it's own, miniscule gravity.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago (2 children)

But that doesn't make the bowling ball fall faster to a distant observer, just the earth fall twords the ball. To an observer on earth it would appear to fall faster though.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 5 months ago

Yeah, I think the meme is intended from the perspective of an observer on Earth.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 months ago

The ball's acceleration is identical to the feather's, but it's fall ends up shorter.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 5 months ago

because of its* greater mass