If you drop different coins, which would fall faster?

Question

The coins were a penny, a nickel, a dime, a quarter, a half dollar, and a golden dollar. I've been searching since yesterday, and I haven't found a single site that explains it. Help please! I know that they all fell at the same time, but I dont know WHY they fell...

Answer 1

They don't. They all fall at 9.8m/s These are one of Newton's laws. This was proven when he was sitting under an apple tree and 2 apples fell at the same time...

Answer 2

The most Aerodynamic would reach the ground first. Weight and Size play a small factor, only because of the Atmosphere.
A spin on the coin would also effect its velocity, somewhat.
The dime should reach the ground first because it has less surface area therefore it has less drag.
But if a crosswind of 20k is blowing, the heavier would fall faster. That would be the Gold Dollar. Because it has more Mass or weight.
Good question, very good.
By science law as we understand it the objects will all fall at 32ft per second per second.
But atmospheric properties,wind,drag and motion of the object affect that law.

Answer 3

Instead of coins, this example uses balls. Same concept though. I'll include the link for the rest of this answere along with some other links.

First, look at the problem in a vacuum: no air. Both balls feel exactly the same acceleration. Both start at exactly the same velocity (zero). Their motions will be identical. They
will reach the ground at exactly the same time.

Now, include the air. As they begin to speed up, air resistance will affect the motion of the tennis ball much more than that of the bowling ball. To verify this, place a bowling ball and tennis ball on a table. Blow on both as hard as you can. You can get the tennis ball moving. You have no effect on the bowling ball. Both balls are slowed, but the tennis ball is slowed more. The tennis ball will therefore take more time than the bowling ball
to reach the ground. The greater the height of the ladder, the more noticeable the effect will be.

http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/phy00/phy00271.htm

http://www-spof.gsfc.nasa.gov/stargaze/Sfall.htm

http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/gen01/gen01762.htm

http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/history/newtongrav.html

Answer 4

In a famous experiment Galileo dropped two balls of different weights from a balcony on the Tower of Pizza, both of which hit the ground at the same time, thereby proving that heavier objects fall at the very same rate as lighter objects, in contrast to the common wisdom that the heavier object should fall faster.
so all the coins should fall at the same time.

Answer 5

In a vacuum they fall the same speed.

In air it's a function of the mass, size (area) and drag coeficient. The biggest factors are the mass vs. the size. It also makes a difference if the coin is falling on edge of flat.

I would guess that on edge they would fall about the same speed, but flat the larger coin would fall faster.

Answer 6

None of them fall faster than the other. Since gravity takes a toll on everything and is a numerical value of acceleration of 9.81 m/s^2, they all accelerate at the same rate and therefore. maintain the same velocity. They all have equal velocities and are traveling at the same rate of speed.

Answer 7

if you drop them at the same height and at the same time they would fall at the same time because while one may be heavier the gravity takes the same amount of velocity on the coins.

Answer 8

if you disregard air resistance they all hit the ground at the same time. due to their size and shape, air resistance is not really a factor.

Answer 9

i think some dead history guy proved that if u dropped them at the same time they would hit the ground the same time, forgot who it was

Answer 10

They fall at the same speed I think...