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galileogalilei

1564-1642

"[E]xperience shows us that two balls of equal size, one of which weighs ten or twelve times as much as the other, both descending from a height of 150 or 200 braccia, arrive at the earth with very little difference in speed...."

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Galileo was born in Pisa, Italy in 1564. He is the son of Vincenzo Galilei, well known for his studies of music, and Giulia Ammannati. In his life time, Galileo Galilei accomplished many things. He proved people's theories wrong, and for all this hard work, he was condemned by the Catholic Church for his ideas. He supported Copernicus' theory, while opposing Aristotle's theories. He studied in Pisa, where he later became the chair in mathematics.  He was then appointed to the chair of mathematics department at the University of Padua.  Galileo carried out studies and experiments in mechanics, and built a thermoscope, a device which shows the relationship between temperature change and water level. He invented the microscope, and built a telescope with which he made celestial observations, the most important  of which was his discovery of the four satellites of Jupiter.  He also studied Saturn and observed the phases of Venus. 

Galileo is considered to be the father of the modern science.  Galileo made so many great contributions to science. Galileo led a very accomplished life, proving many theories wrong and proving some right. He proved his theories with his new and improved refracting telescope. Galileo was condemned by the Catholic Church for his theory of the universe. This very accomplished life ended in 1642. The same year Issac Newton was born!!! 

Galileo proved that Aristotle's theory of motion of a falling object was not right.  Aristotle believed that the speed of a falling object remains the same over the time.  Aristotle also believed that the speed of a falling object depends on mass.  However, Galileo showed that the speed of a falling object increases over the time (acceleration).  He also believed that the speed is independent of the mass.  He believed that in absence of air, a heavy stone and a light feather would reach the ground at the same time if they are both dropped at the same height and time. He was right!!!  Astronauts dropped a feather and a stone at the same time on the surface of the moon.  They both reached the ground at the same time. 

Galileo also showed that Aristotle's theory of the universe, stated that the earth is the center of the universe, was wrong. He supported Copernicus' theory which stated that all planets revolve around the sun including the earth. Galileo noticed that Jupiter had four moons revolving around it. He, therefore, said that if Jupiter were to revolve around the earth, then the earth would have to have at least four moons, which it obviously does not. Once again, Aristotle theory was proved to be wrong by Galileo Galilei...