Name: ________________________ Parent”s Signature: __________

Section:_______________________

Physical Science Quarter 4 – The Aristotelian and Galilean Conceptions of Vertical, Horizontal, and
Projectile Motions

Motion is the action of changing location or position. Life is motion. From the coordination of the
muscles of our body which enables us to walk, run, and dance to the pumping of our hearts to deliver
blood to the different parts of our bodies are motion. The first evidence of the study of the motion of
heavenly bodies can be traced back to the people of Sumeria and Egypt. While the Greeks were the first
ones to study systematically and in detail the heavenly bodies. They regarded the Earth as the center of
the universe, geocentric. This idea of geocentric earth was replaced by the heliocentric model of
Nicolaus Copernicus, where earth and other planets revolve in circular orbits around the Sun. These
early studies were the foundations of Galileo Galilei, an Italian physicist to revolutionized Science.

Activity 1.
To get started, you have to choose the terms or names of persons related to motion from the WORD
POOL below. List down these words/names on the table and write what you know about it.

Heliocentric cannonball Aristotle Kepler

feather hammer Galileo Copernicus geocentric

Ptolemy leaning tower of Pisa

distance inertia acceleration

Term/Name of Person What I know about it?

Activity 1.1
The timeline below shows the different personalities involved in the Ancient Greek
Astronomy and during the time of Galileo and Isaac Newton.

Activity 1.1 Guide Questions:

1. Who were the Ancient Greek Astronomers who studied the motion of heavenly bodies from
Aristotle to the year 200 AD?

2. Who were those Astronomers who made contributions to the study of heavenly bodies from
1400 to the time of Galileo Galilei?

3. Do you think that our current understanding on the physics of motion happened overnight?
Support your answer.
I. Aristotle’s Concept of Vertical Motion, Horizontal Motion, and
Projectile Motion

1. Vertical Motion
Vertical motion is referred to as natural motion. In a natural motion, the object
will move and will return to its natural state based on the object's material or
composition - earth, water, air, and fire.

• For example, Aristotle believed that because a ball fell when thrown upward, its
element was earth.

• Smoke goes up the air because it seeks its natural place in the atmosphere.

• Aristotelian concept of natural motion is largely vertical motion which is falling

or rising.
2. Horizontal Motion
An object moving in a violent motion requires push or pull to maintain
horizontal motion. Motion continues only so long as there is an applied force to an
object. When the force is removed, motion stops.

• The example at the right shows piled

boxes of food donations. The boxes will
remain on the floor unless a push or a pull
force is applied.

• Violent motion is imposed motion

caused by pushing or pulling.

• Aristotle classified any motion that

required a force as a "violent motion". (He did not mean violent in the sense that it is
marked by the use of harmful or destructive physical force.)

3. Projectile Motion
Aristotle believed that the projectile motion of an object is parallel to the ground
until it is the object's time to fall back into the ground. An impetus will be kept by the
object until such time that the initial force is forgotten, and the object returns to its
natural state to stop moving and fall to the ground.
He viewed projectile motion as natural and violent motion. He said that heavy
objects fall faster than light ones.

The illustration shows an example of cannon fired which gives

the cannonball an impetus.
  A notorious problem for the Aristotelian view was why arrows shot from a
bow continued to fly through the air after they had left the bow and
the string was no longer applying force to them.

Aristotle's Explanation:
• Initial motive force transfers to the medium initially surrounding the object a
"power" to act as a motive force.

Air flow

• Medium then forces object into new region, which is then imparted with the
"power" to act.

Power transfer

II. Galileo’s Concept of Vertical Motion, Horizontal Motion, and Projectile

Motion
1. Vertical Motion
In the absence of a resistance, objects would fall not depending on their weight,
but in the time of fall. Also, if the object encountered a resistive force from a fluid
equal or greater than its weight, it will slow down and reaches a uniform motion until
it reaches the bottom and stops.
 • For example,

without any

resistance, a 1-

kg object will be
as fast as a 10-kg
object when falling
because they fall
with the same
amount of time, given that they are released from the same
height.

• Also, a stone dropped in the ocean will sooner or later

travel at constant speed.

2. Horizontal Motion
An object in motion, if unimpeded, will continue to be in motion, and an
external force is not necessary to maintain the motion. If the Earth’s surface is very
flat and extended infinitely, objects that are pushed will not be impeded. Thus, the
objects will continue to move. This kind of motion, however, is not evident in nature.

For example, if a ball is pushed on an infinitely flat plane, the ball will continue to roll
if unimpeded.

3. Projectile Motion
Galileo performed experiments on uniformly accelerated motion using an
inclined plane, and used the same apparatus to study projectile motion.
• Galileo was credited for quantifying the “rate of fall” by measurement of
distance and time and plotting it graphically. He was able to slow down the “fall” using
ramps rather than viscous materials as Aristotle did resulting to significantly different
conclusions related to the “rate of fall”.
• He correctly measured motion in two independent directions (horizontal and
vertical) and deduced that the “rate of fall” is better measured in terms of downward
acceleration.
• He used geometry to provide better description (kinematics) of projectile motion
whereby horizontal motion has zero acceleration (constant speed horizontally) and
content vertical acceleration.
• By varying the ball's horizontal velocity and vertical drop, Galileo was able to
determine that the path of a projectile is parabolic.
• He believed that a projectile is a combination of uniform motion in the
horizontal direction and uniformly accelerated motion in the vertical direction. If it is
not impeded, it will continue to move even without an applied force.
• For example, when you shoot a ball in a basketball ring, the ball does not need
a force to keep it moving.

Activity 1.2 Mini Lab: Aristotle or Galileo?

Test the following activities below. Take note that in every activity, both
objects should be dropped at the same time and at the same height. (In choosing
the height, be sure that you are safe).

1. Drop a book and a flat sheet of paper.

2. Drop a book and a sheet of paper crumpled to a ball.
3. Drop a book with a small flat sheet of paper on top of it.

Activity 1.2 Guide Questions

1. In all three cases, which object reaches the ground first?
2. In activity 1, what causes the flat sheet of paper to move sideways?
3. In activities 2 and 3, why did the objects fall at the same rate regardless
of their masses?
4. Whose view is more acceptable? Why?

Modified True or False. Read each statement carefully. Write True if the statement is
correct and if FALSE, change the italicized word or group of words to make the
statement correct. Use a separate paper for your answer.
_______________1. Aristotle claimed that violent motion is an imposed motion.

______________2. In natural motion, an object will move and will eventually return to
its natural state depending on the composition that the object is made of.

_______________3. According to Galileo, heavy objects will fall faster than light ones.
_______________4. Aristotle said that to keep the object moving in horizontal motion, a
constant amount of force is needed.
_______________5. Objects dropped simultaneously will reach the ground at the same
time regardless of their masses and air resistance.
_______________6. Galileo concluded that the path taken by a projectile is parabolic.
_______________7. Galileo used an inclined plane to perform his experiments both on
uniformly accelerated motion and to study projectile motion.
_______________8. Aristotle believed that a projectile is a combination of uniform
motion in the horizontal direction and uniformly accelerated motion in the vertical direction.
_______________9. A kicked ball is an example of a natural motion.

_______________10. Vertical motion does affect the horizontal motion of a projectile.

_______________11. The “rate of fall” of an object is better measured in terms of upward

acceleration.
_______________12. According to Galileo, a stone dropped in the ocean will sooner or later
travel at constant speed.
_______________13. In Galileo’s view of vertical motion, the fall of the object is dependent
on its weight.
_______________14. To Galileo, natural motion is largely vertical motion.
_______________15. The fall of heavy object toward the center of the earth is a violent
motion.
Name: ________________________ Parent”s Signature: __________

Section:_______________________

Physical Science
Quarter 4 – How Galileo Inferred that Objects in Vacuum fall with
Uniform Acceleration.

Motion is defined as the ability of an object to change its position with respect to
its surroundings in given time. Motion is always observed and measured with a point
of reference. All living things show motion whereas non-living things show motion only
when force acts on it.
These are the terms associated with motion. First, Free fall, which is an
example of motion with uniform acceleration. Second is acceleration which means the
change in velocity with a given time. Third is speed which is the distance travelled of
an object in a specific amount of time.

Activity 1.1
The pictures below show a pig and a mouse were dropped from the same point in the
sky, at the same time, which one would reach the ground first without air resistance?
Guide Questions:
1. Which falls first, the heavier or lighter object? Defend your answer.
2. What is the role of air resistance here?

3. What is the impact of this activity to you?

I. Aristotle's View of Motion

•
Aristotle was an Ancient Greek philosopher who thought that heavier
objects fall faster than lighter ones.

•
Force would be needed to have a constant velocity according to Aristotle.
Force is required for violent but not natural motion.
II. Galileo's View of Motion
• Italian Mathematician .Father of modern Science

• Discredited Aristotelian view of motion

• Object in vacuum will fall at the same time because in a vacuum there is
nothing. Since there is no air or anything in space, objects that are heavy or
light, will fall at the same time.

• Force is not necessarily required for violent motion.

• Force is not required for object moving at constant velocity.

Galileo's Experimentation to prove

his Ideas about motion

 Experiment I

Galileo dropped two different weights of cannon ball to the Leaning Tower of
Pisa and they fell at the same time but could not measure the distance
travelled therefore he proceeded to another experimentation.
 Experiment II

• Galileo used the inclined ramp in order to measure the

acceleration of an object. He used a rolling ball to measure the changes.
He measured that objects accelerates at the same time regardless of their
size and mass.

• Speed is the distance traveled by an object divided by the time

taken to travel the distance

• A ball rolling down an inclined plane increases its speed by the

same value after every second
 T - 1
X - 1
T - 2
X - 3

T -3
X -5

T - 4
X - 7
T Time
X Distance

• The speed of a rolling ball was found to increase by 2 m/s every

second. This means that the rolling ball would have the following speeds
for every given second.

TIME SPEED m/s

0 0

1 2

2 4

3 6

4 8

5 10

 Free Fall and Gravity

•
Freely falling bodies undergo constant acceleration in which it is referred
to as free fall. The free fall acceleration represent a symbol g which means
gravity.

•
At the surface of the earth, gravity (g) is approximately 9.8 m/s2.

•
Gravity leads the object to accelerate in a constant rate.
  Horizontal Motion
• View of Aristotle
. Natural state of object at rest

• View of Galileo

• Imagined motion will continue without friction

Horizontal versus Vertical Motion

Horizontal : constant in value which represent by x axis

• rolling balls
• inertia
• leaning tower of Pisa

Vertical: changing value which represent by y axis

• free fall
. Aristotle versus Galileo

ACTIVITY 1.2
Summarize your understanding about the different terms/names given on the
table.Use a separate sheet of paper for your answer.

Terms Description

Motion

Aristotle

Galileo

Air resistance

Acceleration

Free-fall

Speed

Assessment
Modified True or False. Read each statement carefully. Write True if the statement is
correct. If it is not, provide the right term that made the statement false. Write your
answer on a separate sheet of paper.
_____1. All living things show motion whereas non- living things show motion only
when force acts on them.

_____2.Galileo inferred that objects in vacuum fall with constant acceleration.

_____3. Aristotle had the idea that heavier object fall faster than lighter objects.

_____4. In Galileo's experimentation using two different weights of ball dropping in

the leaning Pisa tower, he proves that heavier and lighter object fall at the same
time provided that there is no air resistance. He also measures the acceleration.

_____5. Freely falling bodies undergo constant acceleration.

_____6. Motion is constantly changing.

_____7. Galileo used an inclined ramp in order to measure acceleration.

_____8. When the object, is changing position with respect to its surrounding with a
given time it is called motion.

_____9. In measuring motion, point of reference is considered.

_____10. According to Aristotle, free- fall undergoes constant acceleration.

_____11. The gravity of earth surface is 9.8m/s².

_____12. A ball rolling down in an inclined plane increases its speed by different value
after every second.

_____13. Aristotle believed that objects fall at a speed which is proportional to their
weight.

_____14. The role of air resistance in falling heavier and lighter objects is to slow down
the lighter one.

_____15. Rolling ball is an example of vertical motion.