物理学史上最美的十个实验第二名.doc

物理学史上最美的十个实验第二名
Galileo's experiment on falling objects
伽利略的自由落体实验

In the late 1500's, everyone knew that heavy objects fall faster than lighter ones. After all, Aristotle had said so. That an ancient Greek scholar still held such sway was a sign of how far science had declined during the dark ages.
Galileo Galilei, who held a chair in mathematics at the University of Pisa, was impudent enough to question the common knowledge. The story has become part of the folklore of science: he is reputed to have dropped two different weights from the town's Leaning Tower showing that they landed at the same time. His challenges to Aristotle may have cost Galileo his job, but he had demonstrated the importance of taking nature, not human authority, as the final arbiter in matters of science.
在16世纪末，人人都认为重量大的物体比重量小的物体下落得快，因为伟大的亚里士多德已经这么说了。
伽利略，当时在比萨大学数学系任职，他大胆地向公众的观点挑战。著名的比萨斜塔实验已经成为科学中的一个故事：他从斜塔上同时扔下一轻一重的物体，让大家看到两个物体同时落地。伽利略挑战亚里士多德的代价也许是他失去了工作，但他展示的是自然界的本质，而不是人类的权威，科学作出了最后的裁决。