Question

If you were to eliminate any effects from air resistance/friction (for example you were in a airless vacuum) and you dropped a 5.5 kg (12 pound) bowling ball and a 0.02 kg (0.07 pound) feather off of a building, which of the following statements would be correct?

1. The feather would accelerate faster because it is lighter.
2. The bowling ball would accelerate faster because it is heavier.
3. Both objects would accelerate at the same rate.

Answer 1

3. Both objects would accelerate at the same rate.

Step-by-step explanation:

In a vacuum, or any place without air, all objects accelerate at the same speed. Thus, an elephant and a balloon would hit the ground at the same time if both are dropped from the same height. This is so because air resistance is different from one object, to another. As such, it affects the acceleration of the object. But in a situation whereby there exist no air, which invariably means there's no air resistance, then, all objects dropped from the same height and at the same time, land together at the same time, irrespective of their size(s)