Physical Science

Quarter 2 – Module 4
The Aristotelian and Galilean Conceptions of
Vertical, Horizontal, and Projectile Motions

Physical Science
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 2 – Module 4: The Aristotelian and Galilean Conceptions of Vertical Motion,
Horizontal Motion, and Projectile Motion
First Edition 2020

Welcome to the Physical Science 11 Alternative Delivery Mode (ADM) Module on

The Aristotelian and Galilean Conceptions of Vertical Motion, Horizontal
Motion, and Projectile Motion!

What I Need to Know

This module was designed and written with you in mind. It is here to help you
master the Aristotelian and Galilean conceptions of motion: vertical motion,
horizontal motion, and projectile motion. The scope of this module permits it to be
used in many different learning situations. The language used recognizes the
diverse vocabulary level of students. The lessons are arranged to follow the
standard sequence of the course. But the order in which you read them can be
changed to correspond with the textbook you are now using.
After going through this module, you are expected to:
1. describe the Aristotelian concepts of vertical motion, horizontal motion, and
projectile motion;
2. describe the concepts of vertical motion, horizontal motion, and projectile
motion according to Galileo; and
3. compare and contrast the Aristotelian and Galilean conceptions of vertical
motion, horizontal motion, and projectile motion.

The Aristotelian and Galilean Conceptions of Vertical,

Lesson 1 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.

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 These early studies were the foundations of Galileo Galilei, an Italian
physicist to revolutionized Science.

What’s New
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.
4. What do think were the bases of the different astronomers or natural
philosophers in their explanations of motion?
Our current understanding on the physics of motion did not happen
overnight. Instead, it gradually developed as philosophers took up previously held
philosophies and improved on it or gave critique identifying possible weakness or
inconsistencies with observations.
One such philosophical concept held is the philosophy behind motion in two
particular points, namely, the existence of one unifying explanation for the
horizontal and vertical motions and how projectile motions can be derived from the
two and the quantification of the “rate of fall” or “acceleration”.
Aristotle held that the Universe was divided into two regions, the terrestrial
region and the celestial region. He also divided motion into two main classes which
are natural motion and violent motion. On the other hand, Galileo Galilei believed
that a projectile motion is a combination of uniform motion in the horizontal
direction and uniformly accelerated motion in the vertical direction.
What is It

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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.

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 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.

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 • 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.

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 • 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.

Assessment
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.
Additional Activities
Activity 1.5 Mini Lab
Given two one-peso coins, released at the same time, Coin A is dropped while
Coin B is thrown horizontally coming from the same height. Which one do you
think would reach the ground first? Use a sheet of paper for your observations.

Physical Science

6
 Quarter 2 – Module 5
How Galileo Inferred that Objects in Vacuum Fall in Uniform
Acceleration

Welcome to the Physical Science 11 Alternative Delivery Mode (ADM) Module on

How Galileo Inferred that Objects in Vacuum Fall with Uniform Acceleration!
How Galileo Inferred that
Lesson 1
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
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?

What is It
I. Aristotle's View of Motion

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

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 •
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.

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

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Activity 2 Construct a Venn Diagram
Point out the similarities and differences between Aristotle's view of motion and
Galileo's view of motion by using a Venn diagram on a separate sheet of paper.

Assessment
Activity 1.6
As a 21ST century learner, what would be the impact to you of this learning?
On a separate sheet of paper, create a checklist of things that would be
beneficial to you from this learning.

Physical Science
Quarter 2 – Module 6
Understanding Newton’s First Law of Motion

Welcome to the Physical Science 11 Alternative Delivery Mode (ADM) Module on

Understanding Newton’s First Law of Motion!

Lesson 1 Understanding Newton’s First Law of Motion

Inertia is the tendency of an object to resist change when in motion or when

at rest. Newton’s first law of motion is also called law of inertia. If an object is
moving, inertia will keep it in motion. When it is at rest, it will continue to be at
rest, unless there is a force applied on it.
Activity 1
This is a bowling game. A heavy ball is rolled down a narrow lane aiming the
pins. What makes the ball keep on rolling? What makes the pins fall in different
direction?

Guide Questions:
1. What keeps an object at rest and what keeps it moving?
2. What cause the object change in motion?
3. How does an object’s mass affect its inertia?
Have you ever wondered why people, objects keep on moving? How do we
keep at rest and keep our feet on the ground? How do objects stay in place and
displaced? We always thought that objects move because it is natural state. This is
what makes laws of motion so exciting to study about.
Sir Isaac Newton a 17th century scientist formulated laws explaining why
objects are moving and why they do not move. It has been known as Newton’s

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Three Laws of Motion. The focus of this lesson is Newton’s first law which is also
referred as the law of inertia.
When it comes to law of motion, inertia is very popular. Inertia resists
change in motion. When an object is already at rest, it will remain at rest, if an
object is moving, inertia will keep it moving.
Imagine you are riding on a bus, and then it suddenly stops, your body
moves forward? Why? The brakes stop the bus but not your body, inertia keeps
your body moving forward that’s why it is very important to wear a seatbelt for your
safety.

What is It
I. Galileo and Inertia

Galileo Galilei 1564-1642

Galileo developed the first concept of laws of motion.
Among these are the following:
• Developed the concept of motion in terms of
velocity (speed and direction) by using inclined planes.
• Developed the idea of force that causes motion.
• Determined that the natural state of an object is rest or uniformed motion.
• Developed the idea that objects resist motion, inertia.

According to Galileo, objects in motion eventually stop because of a force called

friction. Friction is a force that opposes motion between any surfaces that are
touching. This is based on his experiment observed in inclined planes. He said that
a difference between initial and final heights was due to the presence of friction.
Galileo hypothesized that if friction could be entirely eliminated, the ball would
reach exactly the same height. Or if the ball rolls horizontally and there’s no friction
that acts on it, the ball will never stop.

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II. Isaac Newton and his First Law of Motion

Isaac Newton 1642-1727

Isaac Newton was born the same year Galileo died.

Newton’s law of inertia is based on Galileo’s idea of inertia.
He expanded Galileo’s work and came up with his Three
Laws of Motion.
Newton’s first law of motion states that…
An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion
stays in motion with the same speed and in the same
direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.

Mass and Inertia

An object’s inertia depends on its mass. Mass is the amount of matter or
substance that makes up an object. It is measured in units called kilogram. An
object with a greater mass has a greater inertia and an object with a lesser mass
will also have a lesser inertia.

An object’s tendency to resist change in its motion depends on its mass. Below
is a wooden box and a styrofoam box, which do you think has a greater mass? lesser?
Which has a greater inertia?

wooden box styrofoam box

Exploring Inertia
Inertia has three types:
• Inertia of rest- an object will stay in place unless something or somebody
moves it. Example: a plate on the table
• Inertia of motion- an object will continue at the same speed until a force acts
on it. Example: a rolling ball
• Inertia of Direction- an object will stay moving in the same direction unless a
force acts on it. Example: a moving car turning right

Forces
What causes an object to move, to stop or remain at rest? A force causes an object
to move, to stop or remain at rest.
• Force is defined as a push or a pull.
• Newton (N) is the unit of force
• One Newton is the amount of force required to give a 1-kg mass an
acceleration of 1 m/s/s. Thus, the following unit equivalency can be
stated as:
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 1 Newton = 1 kg • m/s²
1. Friction
A rolling marble on the floor that suddenly stops when it reached a rough
surface does not stop because of the absence of a force, it stops because of the
presence of a force called friction.
• Friction is a force that opposes motion between any surfaces that are
touching.
• Friction occurs because no surface is perfectly smooth.
• Rough surfaces have more friction than smooth surfaces.
Heavier objects also have more friction because they are pressed
harder with greater force than lighter objects.
• Friction produces heat because it causes the molecules on rubbing
surfaces to move faster and have more energy.
Newton’s first law of motion has always stated that:
An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in motion with the same
speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.
2. Balanced and Unbalanced Forces
A balanced force is a force in which the net force is equal to zero.

What is a net force? A net force is the total

combination of forces (in opposite direction or the same
direction) acting on an object.
Let’s consider the free body diagram of a flower vase on the table. There are two
forces acting on the flower vase. The force of the table pushing the flower vase
upward also called the normal force and the gravitational force pushing the flower
vase downward.

The forces on the flower vase

are balanced
Normal force of the table pushing the flower vase upwards

flower vase

Gravitational force pushing it downwards

Since the two forces are equal and in opposite directions, they balanced each other.
The net force is zero, it means the flower vase is at its equilibrium. There is no
unbalanced force acting on it thus it remains at rest.
What is an unbalanced force?

An unbalanced force is a force in which the net force is greater than zero.

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 40N 50N

The force produced by the right team is greater

than the left team by 10N tipping the rope to the
right direction.
Unbalanced forces cause acceleration. Only unbalanced force can change the
motion and direction of an object.

Example: Your pet dog can move you faster if he pulls you with enough force.

Activity 2 Critical Writing

Answer the questions briefly.
1. State Newton’s first law of motion. What makes the object remain in state of
motion or at rest? Explain why?
2. Explain the difference on Galileo’s idea of inertia and Newton’s first law of
motion.

Activity 3
Let us see if you can recognize inertia when you see or feel it occur every day. List
at least 5 activities you do every day. You might be surprised at how much moment
of inertia you have in your life.

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