PHYSICAL SCIENCE
S.Y. ‘23 - ‘24 | SEM 2 Q4 | PS Module 3 WEEK 3: Aristotelian and Galilean
– SEM 2 Q4 WEEK 3 – The unsupported lump of clay will
fall to the ground because it is
made of earth.
1.0 Background Information
Being of the air, an unimpeded puff
of smoke will rise.
● During Galileo's time, the prevalent Being a mixture of earth and air but
thought was mostly influenced by predominantly earth, a feather falls
the writings of Aristotle. to the ground but not as rapidly as
● Aristotle's writing cover many a lump of clay.
subjects, including physics. Aristotle also believed that heavier
● When Galileo studied at the objects would strive harder and
University of Pisa, he developed an argued that objects should fall at
early interest in motion. speed proportional to their weights.
● Soon, he was able to discredit the The heavier the object, the faster it
Aristotelian ideas by providing falls.
conclusive refutation through Hence, natural motion can be
observation and experiment. described as any motion in which
any object does naturally.
Moreover, natural motions are all
2.0 Aristotelian Concepts of vertical, either straight up or straight
Motion down, as in the case of all things
on Earth.
It could also be circular, as in the
2.1 Vertical and Horizontal Motion case of celestial objects.
Examples of natural motions
Aristotle categorized motion into include:
two kinds: natural and violent 1. A falling rock since its
motion, the vertical and horizontal natural place is the ground.
motion respectively. 2. A book lying at rest on a
According to Aristotle, natural table naturally remains at
motion proceeds from the "nature" rest.
of an object which is dependent on 3. Smoke naturally rises.
the combination of four elements 4. The sun naturally rises in
(earth, water, air, and fire) the the east, crosses the sky,
objects contains. and then sets in the west.
Every object in the universe has its 5. If you let go a book it
proper place which is determined naturally falls toward the
by its nature. Earth's center.
An object which is not in its proper
place will strive to get there.
PPT | LECTURE PS SEM2Q4 PAGE 1
James Benedict Cerillo
PHYSICAL SCIENCE
S.Y. ‘23 - ‘24 | SEM 2 Q4 | PS Module 3 WEEK 3: Aristotelian and Galilean
state.
As a summary, Aristotle believed
2.2 Violent Motion
that:
1. All objects naturally seek
Violent Motion, on the other hand, their resting places.
is a kind of motion which resulted 2. All motion on the Earth is
from pushing or pulling forces linear.
(horizontal motion). 3. All motion in the heavens
Violent motion was an imposed (outer space) is curved.
motion. 4. The speed at which an
It requires an external push or pull object falls is directly
for the object to move. related to the mass of an
Examples of violent motions object. Heavy objects fall
include: faster than lighter ones.
1. Pushing a cart 5. Motion continues for as
2. Lifting a heavy weight long as a force is applied
3. Pushing a book along a to an object. Removing the
table force stops the object.
3.0 Galilean Concepts of Motion
2.3 Projectile Motion
Galileo Galilei, the foremost
In Aristotle's theory of motion, scientist of the early 17th century,
projectiles were pushed along by was able to discredit Aristotelian
an external force which was ideas about motion.
transmitted through the air. Although he was not the first to
His medieval successors point out difficulties in Galileo
internalized this force in the Galilei, the foremost scientist of
projectile itself and called it the early 17th century, was able to
"impetus." discredit Aristotelian ideas about
He believed that an impetus is motion.
given to an object thrown at a Although he was not the first to
certain angle which is a force or point out difficulties in Aristotle's
energy that permits an object to views, he was the first to provide
move. evidence to disprove Aristotle's
The object will continue to move in ideas through his observation and
the same direction until the impetus experiment.
is lost and the object falls to the
ground and returns to its natural
PPT | LECTURE PS SEM2Q4 PAGE 2
James Benedict Cerillo
PHYSICAL SCIENCE
S.Y. ‘23 - ‘24 | SEM 2 Q4 | PS Module 3 WEEK 3: Aristotelian and Galilean
not influenced by only one motion,
but by two: a uniform motion in the
3.1 Horizontal Motion
horizontal direction and uniformly
accelerated motion in the vertical
A moving object has the tendency to direction.
remain in motion at constant velocity. The motion that acts vertically is the
A ball rolling on a plane will continue force of gravity, and this pulls the
rolling with constant velocity. projectile down by the times-squared
If unimpeded and no external force law.
acts on the ball, it will remain in But while gravity is pulling the object
motion with a constant horizontal down, the projectile is also moving
velocity. forward, horizontally at the same time.
If the Earth is flat and extended And this horizontal motion is uniform
infinitely, any moving object will and constant according to his
continue to move indefinitely. principle of inertia. By using his
This motion, however, is not evident inclined plane, Galileo was indeed
in nature as there are always external able to demonstrate that a projectile
forces acting on all objects. is subject to two independent
motions, and these combine to
provide a precise sort of
3.2 Vertical Motion
mathematical curve.
Galileo also claimed that motion can
Objects fall at the same time be measured using physical variables
regardless of their weight in the such as time and distance and thus
absence of resistance. can be described mathematically.
If an object encounters a resistive Through his experiments, he was
force from a fluid equal or greater also able to prove the following:
than its weight, it will slow down 1. An object in uniform motion will
and reach uniform motion until it travel a distance that is
reaches the bottom and stop. proportional to the time it will
For example, in the absence of take to travel.
resistance, a piece of paper and a 2. A uniformly accelerating object
piece of nail released from the will travel at a speed
same height will reach the bottom proportional to some factor of
at the same time. time.
3. An object in motion, if
3.3 Projectile Motion unimpeded, will continue to be
in motion; an external force is
not necessary to maintain the
Galileo believed that a projectile is motion.
PPT | LECTURE PS SEM2Q4 PAGE 3
James Benedict Cerillo
