Physical Science

Quarter 4 – Module 4:
Galileo vs. Newton’s View of
Inertia
Physical Science – Grade 11
Quarter 4 – Module 4: Galileo vs. Newton’s View of Inertia
First Edition, 2020

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Physical Science
Quarter 4 – Module 4:
Galileo vs. Newton’s View of
Inertia
Introductory Message
For the facilitator:

As a facilitator, you are expected to orient the learners on how to use

this module. You also need to keep track of the learners' progress while
allowing them to manage their own learning at home. Furthermore, you are
expected to encourage and assist the learners as they do the tasks included
in the module.

For the learner:

As a learner, you must learn to become responsible of your own

learning. Take time to read, understand, and perform the different activities
in the module.
As you go through the different activities of this module be reminded of
the following:

1. Use the module with care. Do not put unnecessary mark/s on any part
of the module. Use a separate sheet of paper in answering the exercises.
2. Don’t forget to answer Let Us Try before moving on to the other
activities.
3. Read the instructions carefully before doing each task.
4. Observe honesty and integrity in doing the tasks and checking your
answers.
5. Finish the task at hand before proceeding to the next.
6. Return this module to your teacher/facilitator once you are done.

If you encounter any difficulty in answering the tasks in this module,

do not hesitate to consult your teacher or facilitator. Always bear in mind that
you are not alone. We hope that through this material, you will experience
meaningful learning and gain deep understanding of the relevant
competencies. You can do it!

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 Let Us Learn

This module was designed for you, the learners. It is to facilitate you to
learn the appropriate knowledge and skills as you go through a series of
worthwhile activities. The lessons are arranged sequentially in this course to
ease understanding and mastery.
After going through this module, you are expected to:
• Explain the subtle distinction between Newton’s 1st Law of Motion
(Law of Inertia) and Galileo’s assertion that force is not necessary
to sustain horizontal motion (S11/12PS-IVc-46).

Let Us Try!

Directions: Read each item carefully. Choose the best answer and write the
corresponding letter on your separate answer sheet.

1. Which of the following is directly related to the inertia of an object?

A. motion C. gravity
B. force D. mass

2. What is the subtle difference between Newton’s first law of motion and
Galileo’s assertion that force is not necessary to sustain horizontal
motion?
A. There should be no unbalanced forces acting on an object in
horizontal motion.
B. The net external force acting on an object in horizontal motions
must be equal to zero.
C. Should there be friction acting on an object in horizontal motion,
another force is needed to balance it out.
D. All of the above

3. According to Newton’s first law of motion, what will happen if a moving

object is NOT acted by a net external force?
A. It will continue in motion.
B. It will eventually come to stop.
C. It will transfer energy to another object.
D. It will accelerate in the absence of friction.

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 4. Which law is demonstrated in the illustration below?

A. Law of Inertia
B. Law of Interaction
C. Law of Acceleration
D. Law of Gravitation

5. According to Galileo, if friction is removed, how will the final height

compare to the original height of the ball as it is rolled down an inclined
plane?
A. The final height is equal to the original height.
B. The final height is lesser than the original height.
C. The final height is greater than the original height.
D. The original and final height cannot be determined.

Let Us Study

In the previous lesson, you have learned Newton’s laws of motion which
provided the framework for the understanding of how forces and motion are
related. Recall that motion is the change in position relative to a frame of
reference.
Before Isaac Newton came up with his laws of motion, a lot of great
thinkers have already laid the foundation for the study of force and motion.
One of them was the Greek philosopher Aristotle. In his great text Physica,
Aristotle explained that objects have a natural place which they seek. For
instance, objects made of wood, rock, and metal tend to seek out the Earth
as that is their natural place to be. This is natural motion. But when a stone
is lifted or thrown, it goes against its natural motion and so he called it violent
motion. Violent motion just means an external force is applied to move
objects.
Consider a ball rolling across the ground. It
eventually comes to rest. Aristotle would have said
that since we are no longer rolling the ball, we are no
longer exerting a violent action on it. Thus, its natural
place is to come to rest. This however was proven to

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be not true. Objects in motion come to rest due to friction. In the absence of
friction, objects in motion remain in motion – this is what inertia is all about.

What is Inertia?
Inertia is the tendency of an object to resist changes in its state of
motion. Inertia is dependent on mass which means that the greater mass an
object has, the greater its inertia will be. Inertia is not a force.

Galileo and His Concept of Inertia

Galileo Galilei was an Italian scientist who first explained the concept
of inertia. He did not believe Aristotle’s idea that the ball came to rest because
it desired to be in its natural state. He wanted to challenge and disprove that
orthodox belief. He showed that experiment rather than logic is the best test
of knowledge. He wanted to test his hypothesis on motion. What will happen
to the speed and direction of a moving object if there is no interference along
its way? Will it eventually stop, or will it continually move forever? Let us find
out how Galileo asserted that force is not necessary to sustain horizontal
motion.
Galileo tested his theory in an experiment using two inclined planes.
When the ball was rolled from one inclined plane to the next, it almost reached
the height from which it was released as shown in Figure 1 below. If the
steepness of the second inclined plane is decreased, the ball would still reach
the same height from the point it was released (Figure 2). Finally, he then
removed the second inclined plane and watched the ball rolled down (Figure
3). He observed the ball and made his conclusion: the ball would continue to
move in a straight line with constant speed.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

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 Galileo asserted that if friction (force) were absent, the ball would continue
to move with constant velocity. It would continue in its state of motion
unless a push or a pull compels it to change that state. Galileo called this
tendency of materials to resist change in their state of motion as inertia.

Newton and His Law of Inertia

Isaac Newton was born in 1642, the same year Galileo died. He was
one of the most creative geniuses the world has ever seen and to many people,
the greatest scientist who ever lived. He discovered the nature of gravity. He
invented Calculus. He also created the first reflecting telescope. He wrote and
published the book Principia Mathematica, which provided a detailed
explanation of the laws of gravity and motion, particularly as they applied to
astronomy. His work on the laws of motion and universal gravitation became
the basis of modern physics.
Galileo’s assertion was the inspiration for
Newton’s first law of motion. Newton built on
Galileo’s thoughts about motion and formulated the
Law of Inertia.

The Law of Inertia states that an object at rest will

remain at rest and an object in motion will remain
in motion with the same speed and direction
unless acted upon by a net external (unbalanced)
force.

The net external force is the combination of

all external forces that act on an object. It means
that the forces acting on an object are not balanced.
If an object is at rest, it continues in a state
of rest. If it is moving, it continues in that state of
motion, unless an unbalanced force is exerted on it.
This also means that a force is not needed to keep
an object in motion. A moving object may continue
moving because of its inertia. This is evident in
space probes that continuously move in outer
space.

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What is the subtle distinction between Newton’s First Law of Motion and
Galileo’s assertion?
Galileo asserted that no force is needed to sustain the horizontal motion
of objects. To him, a ball moving horizontally on a frictionless surface would
keep on moving and would not stop because of its inertia. Simply put, we just
need to remove friction so that the ball could keep on moving horizontally.
Galileo was correct, but not completely. Newton’s Law of Inertia dictates
that if the friction is countered by another force such that the net external
force equals zero, then the ball would keep on moving. In other words, where
there is friction (or any other force) acting on an object that is in a horizontal
motion, we only need to exert another force to overcome the friction and bring
the net external force to zero to keep the object going in the same horizontal
motion. In this case, the forces are balanced and the horizontal motion is
sustained.

How are they similar?

Still, Galileo was correct when he pointed out that an object at rest will
continue at rest, and an object in motion will continue in its state of motion
unless a push or pull is exerted on it. As upheld by Newton’s First Law of
Motion, an object at rest will remain at rest, and an object in motion will
remain in motion with the same speed and direction unless acted upon by a
net external force.

Let Us Practice
Activity 1: Compare and contrast Galileo’s and Newton’s Views on Inertia
using the graphic organizer below.

Inertia

Galileo’s View Newton’s View

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 Let Us Practice More

Activity 2: Inertia in Daily Life

The following real-life situations can be best explained using the concept of
inertia. Read each situation carefully and use the viewpoints on inertia to
answer the questions. Explain your answer concisely.

1. John loves to ride his bicycle at high speeds. At one instance, he hit on
his front brakes hard, and almost got thrown over. Why is this so?

__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

Identify the external force(s) that caused his body to almost get thrown over.
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

2. As a jeepney starts to take a sharp

turn (such as the sharp curve in front of
Redemptorist Church along J.P. Laurel
Avenue), the passengers feel as though
they are sliding to the right side of the
jeepney. Why do the passengers react
that way?

__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

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3. When you prepare a glass of hot chocolate or
milk, you tend to stir your chocolate or milk to
make sure that everything is mixed well. Why is it
that even if you stopped stirring your chocolate or
milk, the swirling does not immediately stop?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________

4. Why is it very important to always wear your seatbelt when inside a moving
car?

__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

5. Long Jump athletes always take a fast run before taking the long jump.
Why do they do this?

___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

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 Let Us Remember

Through this module, you have learned the following important concepts:

• Inertia is the tendency of an object to resist changes in its state of

motion. Inertia is dependent on mass. The greater the mass an object
has, the greater its inertia.
• Galileo Galilei performed his inclined plane experiments and
concluded that force is not necessary to sustain horizontal motion.
• Isaac Newton developed his concept of inertia from Galileo’s idea
about motion. He postulated the First Law of Motion which states
that an object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in
motion with the same speed and direction unless acted upon by an
unbalanced force.
• Newton agreed that a force is not needed to keep an object in motion.
However, should there be friction (or any other force) acting on an
object in horizontal motion, the First Law of Motion implies that
another force is needed to overcome the friction and bring the net
external force to zero to sustain the horizontal motion.

Let Us Assess

Read the questions carefully. Choose the best answer and write it on a
separate sheet of paper.

1. Which law states that an object at rest stays at rest and an object in
motion stays in motion with the same speed and direction unless acted
upon by an unbalanced force?
A. Law of Inertia C. Law of Acceleration
B. Law of Interaction D. Law of Gravitation

2. What is the tendency of an object to resist change in its motion?

A. Gravity C. Inertia
B. Force D. Mass

3. According to Galileo, what would happen to the height of the ball as it

rolls down the inclined plane if the external force is removed?
A. Original height is equal to the initial height.

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 B. Original height is lesser than the initial height.
C. Original height is greater than the initial height.
D. Original and final height cannot be determined.

4. What is the subtle difference between Newton’s first law of motion and
Galileo’s assertion that force is not necessary to sustain horizontal
motion?
A. There should be no unbalanced forces acting on an object in
horizontal motion.
B. The net external force acting on an object in horizontal motions
must be equal to zero.
C. Should there be friction acting on an object in horizontal motion,
another force is needed to balance it out.
D. All of the above

5. Who postulated the Law of Inertia?

A. Galileo C. Aristotle
B. Newton D. Copernicus

6. Inertia is directly related to the mass of an object. Using this concept,

which of the following objects has the greatest inertia given their
respective masses?
A. 500 g book C. 500 kg rock
B. 500 mg tablet D. 500 tons ship

7. Which of the following is a vector quantity that is measured in Newton-

units and is the result of push or pull between interacting objects?
A. velocity C. force
B. acceleration D. motion

8. Which of the following objects found inside a car is NOT an application

of the law of inertia?
A. seatbelt C. headrest
B. airbag D. windshield

9. Which of the following is directly related to the inertia of an object?

A. motion C. gravity
B. force D. mass

10. When a car driver suddenly makes a sharp turn, the passenger slides
to the side of the car. Which of the following best describes the
situation?
A. acceleration C. gravity

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 B. inertia D. friction

11. According to Newton’s First Law of Motion, what will happen to an

object if there is no force acting on it?
A. at rest, it would remain at rest
B. in motion, it would remain in motion
C. both A and B
D. neither A nor B

12. According to Newton’s First Law of Motion, what will happen to a

moving object if there is no unbalanced force acting on it?
A. It will continue in motion.
B. It will eventually come to stop.
C. It will transfer energy to another object.
D. It will accelerate in the absence of friction.
13. Suppose you are riding in a car. When the car suddenly stops, your
body tends to keep moving in which direction?
A. forward C. to the left
B. to the right D. backward

14. A magician pulls a tablecloth out from under dishes and glasses without
disturbing them. Which of the following concepts best explain this
phenomenon?
A. Inertia C. Interaction
B. Acceleration D. Gravitation

15. Who was the first scientist to conceptualized inertia?

A. Galileo C. Ptolemy
B. Newton D. Copernicus

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 Let Us Enhance

Activity 3:
Newton’s Bottle Trick Activity
Source: (Spangler 2019)

Direction: In this activity, you are going to demonstrate the concept of inertia
in a very easy and tricky way. Follow the instructions below and answer the
guide questions after.
Objective:
Demonstrate the “Newton’s Bottle Trick” and deduce the concept of inertia.
Materials: 20-peso bill, 7 pieces of 1-peso coin, bottle
Procedures:
1. Place the 20-peso bill on top of the bottle.
2. Place the stack of 1-peso coins on top of the 20-peso bill over the mouth
of the bottle.
3. Position your index finger between the coins and the edge of the bill
then quickly strike or bring your finger down to remove the bill. Do not
hit the coins or the bottle with your finger.
4. If you fail in your first attempt, repeat the steps.

Materials Step 1

Step 2 Step 3

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Note: Record yourself when performing the Newton’s Bottle Trick Activity in a
video. For further instructions, refer to the Weekly Home Learning Plan (WHLP)
and or Individual Learner’s Progress Report (ILPR).
Guide Questions:
1. While on top of the 20-peso bill over the mouth of the bottle, what is the
state of motion of the coins? What is keeping the coins in that state of
motion?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

2. What enables the coins to stay on top of the mouth of the bottle and not
fall over even after the 20-peso bill was quickly brought down?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

Generalization:
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

RUBRICS FOR NEWTON’S BOTTLE TRICK

Score Description

5 Demonstrates a complete understanding of the activity.

Materials, short video, and procedures were included in the task.

4 Demonstrates a considerable understanding of the activity.

All requirements of the task are included.

3 Demonstrates partial understanding of the activity.

Most requirements of the task are included.

2 Demonstrates little understanding of the activity.

Some requirements of the task are missing.

1 Demonstrates no understanding of the activity.

0 No response/task not attempted.

SCORE

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 Let Us Reflect

Scientific theories can be modified and even discarded in favor of new

theories that are able to explain or account for a wider range of observations.
Even if there is no way to secure complete and absolute truth, scientists
agree that increasingly accurate approximations can be made to account for
the world and how it works.
For about two thousand years, the Aristotelian mechanics of natural
and violent motion was left unchallenged. Galileo's careful observations put
an end to that and ushered the age of modern science.

Nevertheless, while it was Galileo who first established the concept of

inertia and made corrections on the long-held wrong ideas of motion, it was
Newton who brought things to higher levels. He consolidated the ideas of
Galileo and other scientists into sound scientific principles (e.g. Laws of
Motion and the Law of Universal Gravitation) that have since then stood the
test of time.

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 13
Let Us Enhance
Discussions vary but should emphasize and expound on:
1. the balanced forces acting on the coins
2. inertia of the coins
Let Us Assess. Let Us Assess Let Us Assess Let Us Try
11. C 6. D 1. A 1. D
12. A 7. C 2. C 2. D
13. A 8. D 3. A 3. A
14. A 9. D 4. D 4. A
15. A 10. B 5. B 5. A
Answer Key
 References

Encyclopedia, Britannica. "Law of Inertia." 2020.

https://www.britannica.com/science/law-of-inertia (accessed May 25,
2020).
Fowler, Michael. "How Newton Built on Galileo's Ideas." 1996.
http://galileo.phys.virginia.edu/classes/109/lectures/newtongl.html
(accessed May 25, 2020).
Hewitt, Paul G. Conceptual Physics. St. Petersburg, Florida, United States of
America: Jim Smith, 2015.
Spangler, Steve. "Newton's Bottle." 2019.
https://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/newtons-
bottle/ (accessed May 25, 2020).
The Physics Classroom. "Inertia and Mass." 2020.
https://www.physicsclassroom.com/class/newtlaws/Lesson-
1/Inertia-and-Mass (accessed May 25, 2020).
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