Here's why:
* Gravity's Force: The force of gravity acting on an object is directly proportional to its mass. A more massive object experiences a stronger gravitational force.
* Inertia: However, an object's inertia (its resistance to changes in motion) is also directly proportional to its mass. A more massive object is harder to accelerate.
These two effects perfectly cancel each other out. This means that regardless of its mass, an object in free-fall will accelerate at the same rate due to gravity.
Key point: Free-fall acceleration is a constant value, often denoted as 'g', which is approximately 9.8 m/s² near the Earth's surface.
Example: A feather and a bowling ball, dropped from the same height, will reach the ground simultaneously in a vacuum (neglecting air resistance).
In conclusion: While the force of gravity is stronger on a more massive object, its resistance to acceleration is also greater, resulting in the same acceleration due to gravity.
