Here's why:
* Force of gravity: The force of gravity acting on an object is directly proportional to its mass (F = mg, where F is force, m is mass, and g is acceleration due to gravity).
* Inertia: Inertia is an object's resistance to changes in motion. The more massive an object, the greater its inertia.
* Balance: The increased force of gravity on a more massive object is exactly counteracted by its increased inertia, resulting in the same acceleration for all objects.
In reality, air resistance plays a role. A heavier object will experience a greater force of air resistance, but it will also have more inertia to overcome that resistance. As a result, the effect of air resistance is often more pronounced on lighter objects, making them appear to fall slower.
Example:
Imagine a feather and a bowling ball. In a vacuum, they would fall at the same rate. However, in air, the feather experiences a greater relative air resistance and appears to fall much slower.
Key takeaway: In the absence of air resistance, all objects fall at the same rate regardless of their mass. This is a fundamental principle of physics known as Galileo's principle of falling bodies.
