Case Study

Case:

The “Madly” Genius Galileo Galilei and His Effect to the Development of Newton’s Law

Case Presentation:

Sixteenth century, an era where physicist around the view that the study of physic are deeply rooted to the Aristotelian study to the point where a few European thinkers would have considered the possibility that it couldn’t be challenged. Where Professors all over Europe taught highly of Aristotle's study and perspective to their students.

However, just like the phrase “ one in a million” emerge a young man who not only questioned, but ultimately overturned the Aristotelian study and theory, his name is Galileo Galilei (1564-1642.). Galileo Galilei, was an Italian astronomer, physicist, engineer, philosopher, and mathematician who played a major role in the scientific revolution during the Renaissance.

At first Galileo Galilei mind was set to the study of astronomy, but when his model of cosmos that was developed from the idea of an astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543.) who made a case, based purely on astronomical observation, that the Sun and not Earth was at the center of the universe  was later forced to be “banned” by the Pope in Rome because it is presumed as going against Aristotle point of view; Galileo Galilei turn to Physic.

Galileo Galilei chose to challenge Aristotle on an issue that to most people at the time seemed relatively settled: the claim that objects fall at differing speeds according to their weight (an idea that was proposed by Aristotle). In order to proceed with his aim, Galileo Galilei had to introduce a number of innovations, and indeed, he established the basic principle kinematics, or the study on how objects move.

Aristotle had indicated that when objects fall, they fall at the same rate from the moment they begin to fall until they reach their "natural" position. Galileo Galilei, on the other hand, suggested an aspect of motion, unknown at that time yet , but now became an important part physics: known as acceleration.

In discussing the movement of the object and his study , Galileo Galilei and his student  had developed the term inertia along the way, to describe inertia as the tendency of an object in motion to remain in motion, and an object at rest to remain at rest.

Which as we all know will be the  starting point of Newton's three laws of motion, and Newton would be greatly affected on the concept of inertia that was developed first by Galileo Galilei. Sir Isaac Newton (1643-1727) was an English physicist and mathematician who is widely recognised as one of the most influential scientists of all time and a key figure in the scientific revolution. he was renowned for his three Law of Motion:

1. First law of motion: An object at rest will remain at rest, and an object in motion will remain in motion, at a constant velocity unless or until outside forces act upon it.
2. Second law of motion: The net force acting upon an object is a product of its mass multiplied by its acceleration.
3. Third law of motion: When one object exerts a force on another, the second object exerts on the first a force equal in magnitude but opposite in direction.

Real life application of Newton’s Law:

Impact of a Moving Football

let say you are watching and supporting your friend in one of his sunday morning football match. Suddenly out of player accidentally kick the ball in your direction and the ball fly away and keep flying in your direction (Newton's first Law of Inertia), as an act of reflex to stop the ball you wave your hand and let your hand got hit by the ball, and so the ball bounce after touching your hand. When this happen it cause pain to your hand. This is caused by  the force (F=m.a)(Newton's second Law) that was exerted by the ball when it touch your skin. However, the ball also experience this “pain” just it cannot show it. simply because it is a nonliving thing. But the ball bounce back because it experience an equal and opposite force acting on it when it touch your hand (Newton third Law).