Compare and contrast the Aristotelian and Galilean

conceptions of vertical motion, horizontal motion, and

projectile motion.

explain how Galileo inferred that objects in vacuum fall

with uniform acceleration, and that force is not necessary
to sustain horizontal motion
Explain the subtle distinction between Newton’s 1st Law
of Motion (or Law of Inertia) and Galileo’s assertion that
force is not necessary to sustain horizontal motion.
 Lesson

1
What’s In

In our previous lesson, we discuss the development of astronomy up to the time of

Galileo and Kepler in the early to middle 1600s. Our current understanding on the
physics of motion did not happen overnight. Instead, it gradually developed as
philosophers take up previously held philosophies and improve on it or give critique
identifying possible weakness or inconsistencies with observations. One of such
concepts is the philosophy behind motion in two particular points: (1) existence of one
unifying explanation for the horizontal and vertical motions and how projectile motions
can be derived from the two, (2) quantification of the “rate of fall” or “acceleration” as
used by Aristotle.

Activity: Look for Me

Instructions: Look for the EIGHT words which relate to motion. The words can be read
horizontally, vertically and diagonally. Write your answers on the space provided.
A E T A R E L E C C A
V E L O C I T Y O V C
C B D S G N E X L B Z
A D E P H J D B L P A
I N T E R A C T I O N
T F Q E Y K T Q S L N
R T A D I I G R I I I
E Y T I V A R G O Y Q
N U J D I S T A N C E
I I H L P O P T S U W

1. _______________________ 2. _______________________
3. _______________________ 4. _______________________
5. _______________________ 6. _______________________
7. _______________________ 8. _______________________
What’s New
Activity: Who is Right?
Two important scientists came up with different ideas how fast objects fall towards the
Earth. Your job is to do an experiment to find out who was right.

The heavier the

object is, the
faster it will fall
to the ground.

Objects of different
mass that are
Galileo Galilei dropped from the Aristotle
same height will
reach the ground at
the same time.

Materials: (a) One coin; and (b) a piece of paper (may be a paper bill).
Instructions: Stand on a chair or table and drop the two materials. Observe carefully.
Essential Questions:
What happened? Why?

If you tried this on moon what would happen? Why?

Watch this video to help you answer the question. https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=5C5_dOEyAfk
Who was right? Why?

What Is It
Aristotle and Galileo were two of the most important historical figures that laid the
foundation of motion concepts. Their views regarding motion may be oppositely but both
helped the progress of science. Aristotle’s theory of motion was based on qualitative
methods of observation while Galileo employed methods of calculation and techniques.
Galileo’s findings contradict Aristotle’s views and were ignored by most people. Until,
Isaac Newton supported Galileo’s findings on analysis of motion.
MOTION ARISTOTELIAN GALILEAN CONCEPT
CONCEPT
Horizontal motion Force is required to Objects moving in a
maintain horizontal motion. straight line at a constant
All moving bodies naturally speed requires no force to
come to rest. keep them moving. It will
continue in motion due to
inertia unless an external
force acts on them.
Vertical motion A. Freefall is a natural A. Objects move
motion because an object, downward because gravity
which is made of an “earth” disturbs their motion.
material, falls toward the
center of Earth because it
seeks its natural place.

B. Heavy object fall faster B. The rate of fall or

than light ones. An acceleration of an object is
increase in speed is independent of their mass.
proportional to the weight
of the object.
C. The motion of falling
C. Object fall faster in air objects is uniformly
than in water. A decrease accelerated.
in speed is proportional to

Projectile motion
the resisting force of the
medium.
The motion of a projectile A projectile moves two-
is parallel to the ground dimensional motion in a
until it is the object’s time parabolic path.
to fall back into the ground.

In recent times, the motion of falling bodies has been studied with great
precision. Galileo took two objects of different weights to the top of the Tower of Pisa
and threw off of the top. Galileo found that the heavy ball hit the ground first, but only by
a little bit. Except for a small difference caused by air resistance, both balls reached
nearly the same speed. And that surprised him. It forced him to abandon Aristotelian
ideas about motion. We aren’t sure if he really did the experiment but if it was true it was
surely a turning point in the history of science. When air resistance can be neglected, all
bodies experience equal acceleration regardless of their size and weight. This constant
acceleration g is called the acceleration due to gravity. The standard value of g at or
near the earth’s surface is approximately 9.8 m/s 2.

There are several physical quantities that helps described motion of objects. Before that
let’s differentiate scalar quantity from vector quantity.
o Scalar quantities are those that are described by magnitude alone.
Examples: distance and speed
o Vector quantities are those that are described by both magnitude and direction.
Examples: velocity and displacement

Distance VS. Displacement

Distance refers to the actual path traveled by an object, while displacement indicates
the length as a straight line from the initial to the final position of an object. The SI unit
for distance and displacement is meter (m).

The distance traveled by the

bicycle is 7 m, while the
displacement is 5 m, 450 North of
East.
Source: https://cdn1.byjus.com/wp-
content/uploads/2020/02/Distance-
And-Displacement-1.png

SPEED VS. VELOCITY

Speed measures the distance traveled by an object over time, while velocity
represents the ratio of displacement and time. The SI unit for speed and velocity is
meter per second (m/s). In equation forms, speed and velocity are written as follows.
 Speed = distance / time or v = d /t
 Velocity = displacement / time or v = d/t

Sample Problem (SPEED) Sample Problem (VELOCITY)

A man walks 20000m in 4 hours.
Find his speed.
Solution:             meters in 1 second.
Distance covered = 20000 m
Time taken = 4 hours (14400s)
We know,
Speed = distance/time            
  = 20000/14400 m/s
Therefore, speed = 1.39 m/s
A car travels along a straight road to
the east for 100 meters in 4
seconds, then go the west for 50
Solution:            
Displacement = 100 meters – 50
meters = 50 meters, to east
Time taken = 4 seconds + 1
second = 5 seconds
We know,
Velocity = displacement / time
  = 50 meters / 5 seconds

Therefore, velocity = 10 m/s

ACCELERATION
Acceleration is a vector quantity that measures the rate of change of velocity. It is
expressed in meter per second squared (m/s2), which is in the standard unit.

Sample Problem

The car can go from 0 m/s to 54 m/s

in exactly 16 seconds. Calculate the
acceleration during that time.

Solution:            

Initial velocity = 0 m/s

Final velocity = 54 m/s
Time = 16 seconds

We know,

Acceleration = Vf – Vi / t
  = 54 m/s – 0 m/s / 16 seconds

Therefore, Acceleration = 3.4 m/s2

FREE FALL
What’s More
ACTIVITY: ACCELERATION DUE TO GRAVITY
I. Objective: Explain the relationship between speed and acceleration
II. Materials: identical coins 2 pcs, table
III. Procedure:
1. Label the coins A and B.
2. Place coin A at the edge of a smooth table top so that it hangs over slightly.
3. Place a coin B on the same table w/ some distance from the overhanging coin A.
4. Slide the coin B across the table (such as by flicking with your finger) so that it
strikes the overhanging coin A and both coins fall to the floor below.
5. Repeat Steps 2-4 but this time flick coin B harder so that it will have greater speed
as it strikes coin A.
6. Take a picture of yourself performing the activity.

IV. Drawing of the Set-up/ Attach pictures of your performance:

V. Data and Results:

Trial Which coin hit the ground first?

1. Flicking coin B to hit coin A

2. Flicking coin B harder to have greater

speed in hitting coin B

VI. Observations and Discussions:

VII. Conclusion
What I Have Learned

Activity: Modified true or false.

Instructions: Write TRUE if the statement is valid and FALSE if otherwise. If the
statement is FALSE, change the word(s) to make the statement correct.
__________1. Galileo’s view of horizontal, vertical, and projectile motion totally
supported Aristotle’s theories of motion.
__________2. Distance pertain to how far an object moves, while displacement indicate
how fast.
__________3. Acceleration is concerned with how an object changes its velocity.
__________4. Galileo demolished the notion that a friction is necessary to keep an
object moving.
__________5. The element earth moves down toward its unnatural resting place.
__________6. Galileo believed that the rate of fall of an object is independent of their
mass.
__________7. Aristotle believed that when a cannonball is fired by a cannon moves in a
straight horizontal line.
__________8. Galileo believed that heavy objects fall faster than light ones.
__________9. Aristotle believe that Earth consists of matter formed by combination of
four primordial elements; earth, water, air, and fire.
__________10. Galileo concluded that all objects would fall with the same constant
acceleration due to air resistance.

ACTIVITY: PROBLEM SOLVING

Instructions: In a separate sheet of paper, solve for the following problems. 5 points for
each item.

1. In going to school, Sandra lemonade walks 50 m west, then 100 m north, followed by
10 m east, and finally 30 m south. Solve for the total distance and displacement.

2. Marlon is going to meet his friends, Tom and Jerry. They will be hanging out at Tom’s
house, which is 10 m away from Marlon’s house. What is Marlon’s average speed and
average velocity if he walks for 3 minutes?
3. Maria initially running at a rate of 12.50 m/s to the east speeds up at a rate of 16.50
m/s within 15 s. What is the magnitude of the Maria’s acceleration?

4. You throw a ball downward with an initial velocity of 3 m/s from a building with 8 m
high.
a. What is the ball’s final velocity before reaching the ground?
b. At what time will the ball hit the ground?

5. A man is standing at the top of a 20 m tall building and throws his ring which travels
at a speed of 32.5 m/s at an angle of 300 with the top of the building. What is the
maximum height that the ring reached?

What I can do

ACTIVITY: REFLECT

Instructions: In a paragraph, reflect on the meaning of this cartoon.

ARISTOTLE’S BOWLING BALL GALILEO’S BOWLING BALL

I want to stop!

I want to keep
going!

REFLECTION:
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Based on the lesson on the concepts of motion, I have realized that
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Lesson

2
What’s In
According to Aristotle, force is needed to make an object move. He proposed that in the
celestial realm, the Prime Mover continuously supplies the force that moves the entire
universe. Aristotle also added that the speed acquired by the object is proportional to
the force applied. The bigger the force, the faster the object moves. Once the force is
removed, the object stops moving. Galileo developed ideas about motion contrary to the
Aristotelian theory. With his thought experiment on a perfect ball rolling, he concluded
that the natural tendency of a moving object is to continue moving, and that no force is
required to keep it moving.

What’s New
ACTIVITY: FLICK THE CARD
Materials needed
 3"x 5" index card
 glass or beaker
 1–10 pennies
Procedure
1. Lay the card on top of the glass. Have one edge of the card a little beyond the rim so
you can give that edge a good flick without smacking your fingertip on the glass.
2. Place a penny on top of the card so it’s centered over the glass.
3. Use your finger to flick an edge of the notecard.
4. Once you have succeeded with one penny, challenge yourself to add another penny
up until 10 pennies.
Analysis: Make sure to include the words friction, net force, external force, and
constant velocity.
1. Describe a successful technique.
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2. Why does the penny drop in the cup when the card is “flicked” away?
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3. How did the total mass of the coins affect your success?
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4. Based on the activity, I conclude that
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What is it

Building on Galileo’s work about motion, Isaac Newton formulated his theory in motion.
In his book Principia Mathematica, Newton readily acknowledge his debt to Galileo. His
analysis of motion was summarized in his three laws of motion; the law of inertia, law of
acceleration, and law of interaction.
Law of Inertia
Galileo’s conclusion on his analysis of motion became the basis of Newton’s first law of
motion, known as the law of inertia. In his original manuscript the law of inertia was
stated as:
“An object at rest is inclined to stay at rest. And an object in motion tends to continue to
move in a straight line with a constant speed unless an external force acts on it.”
For example, it is more difficult to change the motion of a ship than of a car. This ship
has a greater mass; hence, a greater inertia. This implies that the more massive an
object is, the greater inertia it has and the greater the inertia the greater its tendency to
resist change in its state of motion. This law explains also what will happen when the
driver of a car moving at a high speed suddenly steps on the brakes. Because of inertia,
the driver’s body will tend to move forward with speed.
Inertia is the natural inclination of any object to maintain state of rest or to remain in
uniform motion in a straight line. Resisting changes in its state depends upon its mass.
It is the fundamental property of matter for an object to be accelerated or decelerated
where it is being opposed. The more mass the object has, the greater is the tendency to
resist changes in motion.
Law of Acceleration
A box is placed on top of the table. According to the law of inertia, if force is applied
on the box and it does not move, then the applied force is countered by friction that has
the same magnitude as the applied force. Thus, the net force acting on the object is
zero because the applied force and the frictional force canceled each other.
However, if the applied force is large enough to surpass the frictional force, the
object would move. Assuming that the frictional force acting on the box is 50 N, and if
the applied force is 75 N, there would be unbalanced force of 25 N, which would cause
the box to move. In addition, the mass of the object also affects its acceleration.
Suppose a bicycle and a truck are moving at the same constant speed. But since the
truck has larger mass, it has more inertia and has a larger capacity to resist change in
its state of motion. Taking into these consideration, Newton formulated his second law
of motion or the law of acceleration. This second law states that an unbalanced for
acting on a body produces acceleration. The acceleration is directly proportional to the
unbalanced force and inversely proportional to the mass of the body. It acts in the same
direction as the unbalanced force. In symbols, F = ma, where F is the net force, m is the
mass, and a is acceleration. The SI unit of force is kg. m/s2 or newton (N).
Sample problem:
A constant net force of 200 N is applied to accelerate a cart in a frictionless surface
from rest to a velocity of 40 m/s in 10s. What is the mass of the cart?
Given: F = 200 N
Time = 10 s
 Initial velocity (vi) = 0 m/s
Final velocity (vf) = 40 m/s
Find: m=?
Solution 1: Solution 2:
a = vf – vi / t m=F/a
a = 40 m/s – 0 m/s / 10 s m = 200 N / 4 m/s2
a = 4 m/s2 m = 50 kg
Law of Interaction
What will happen if a girl pushes a wall while wearing roller skates? Would she move
away from the wall? If so, what accounts for her motion?
This situation depicts Newton’s third law of motion of the law of interaction. It states that
for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. This symbol, the law may be
represented as: F1 = - F2, where F1 is the action force, which is exerted by the first
object on the second object, and F2 is the reaction force exerted by the second object on
the first object. In the previous situation wherein the girl pushes a wall (action) while
wearing roller skates, the wall also pushes her back (reaction). This explains why she
moves away from the wall. If she does not move away, this means that the force applied
on the wall did not cancel the force given by the wall. Instead, there was sufficient
frictional force acting between the floor and the footwear. Here are some of the
applications of Newton’s third law of motion:
1. A fireman needs to hold a fire hose tightly because it tends to fly backward as water
goes surges out from hose.
2. A bird flies by pushing air downward. The air also pushes back, keeping the bird
upward.
3. In free fall, an object is pulled down by Earth. In response, Earth is also pulled
upward by the object. However, the motion of Earth cannot be seen because its mass is
larger than the free-falling object, which has little effect on Earth’s acceleration.

What’s More
Activity: INERTIA IN MOTION
I. Objective: Explain Newton’s First Law of Motion
II. Materials: ball, scotch tape, tape measure or ruler
III. Procedure:
1. Mark the starting line A and place a target about 10 meters away from it (C). Mark B
about 1m (3.28 ft) before the target and mark D 1 m after the target.
2. With the ball on your hand, you are about to sprint towards the target respectively
 and with a goal to drop the ball on the target. Record your predictions on table 6D.
3. Hold the ball and do not let your elbow leave your side as you sprint toward the target
and drop the ball. Do not give the ball an initial velocity; hold the ball from its sides so
that you can release freely your grip as you let it drop.
4. Record where the runner released the ball and where the ball strikes the ground.
5. Draw the best diagram for each attempt to drop the ball on the target. Specify where
the ball was released and where it actually landed.
6. Repeat the experiment until the ball hits the target.
7. Repeat 2 but this time, do not sprint just run in a slower speed.
8. Repeat 2 but in a walking speed.

IV: Data and results

Table 6D. Verifying Motion Prediction
Motion Prediction Actual Remarks
1. Running in full sprint
2. Running in reduced speed
3. Walking speed

V. Conclusions:
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VI. Question:
How will you relate today’s activity with Newton’s First Law of Motion and with inertia?
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VII. Attach pictures of yourself doing the activity.

What I have learned
Activity: Complete the table below.
Situation: A ball is rolled across a counter top and rolls slowly to a stop.
How would Galileo interpret How would Aristotle How would you interpret
it? interpret it? it?

Instructions: Answer the following items.

1. Give at least three everyday situations where each of Newton’s laws of motion can be
applied.
Law of Inertia:
 ________________________________________________________________
 ________________________________________________________________
 ________________________________________________________________

Law of Acceleration:
 ________________________________________________________________
  ________________________________________________________________
 ________________________________________________________________

Law of Interaction:
 ________________________________________________________________
 ________________________________________________________________
 ________________________________________________________________

2. How can you make use of Newton’s laws of motion to your advantage?
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What I can do
You are an inventor who is motivated to design a “Rube Goldberg machine”, which is a
collection of simple machines that utilize chain reaction to accomplish a simple task in a
very complicated manner. Using indigenous materials found in your community,
construct your own machine and document or record a video of its chain-reaction
performance. The machine should work for three to five minutes. Identify the parts of
the machine and the scientific concepts that they apply. Send your output in our Fb
group.

MARKING Exemplary Proficient Developing Needs

CRITERIA (20-16) (15-11) (10-6) Improvement
(5-1)
Machine Machine works Machine works Machine Machine does
process reliably every reliably, but frequently does not really work.
(20 marks) time and does required not work.
not require human
human intervention at
intervention. some point.
Presentation Complete with Complete, Complete, with Incomplete and
(20 marks) great attention detailed, portions that does not
to detail, very clearly are difficult to include entire
clearly explained, understand project.
explained, easy to follow and/or may be
concise, and and difficult to
very easy to understand. follow.
 follow and
understand.
Creativity Rube Goldberg A Rube A Unoriginal
(20 marks) Master! A Goldberg straightforward and/or dull. No
novel and Apprentice! implementation indigenous
amusing idea. Interesting, but . materials used.
All materials few “wows!”. Few of the
are indigenous Majority of the materials are
materials. materials are indigenous.
indigenous.

Total: ___ 60 points