Answer: Aristotle.
Some extra relevant information:
Galileo Galilei’s famous Leaning Tower of Pisa experiment, conducted in the late 16th century, challenged and ultimately disproved a long-standing theory proposed by the Ancient Greek scientist Aristotle.
Aristotle, who lived during the 4th century BCE, believed that the rate at which objects fall is directly proportional to their weight. In other words, he argued that heavier objects would fall faster than lighter ones. This theory had been widely accepted for centuries until Galileo’s groundbreaking experiment.
Galileo, a renowned physicist and astronomer, sought to test Aristotle’s theory by dropping objects of different weights from the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Contrary to Aristotle’s belief, Galileo’s experiment demonstrated that all objects, regardless of their weight, fall at the same rate in a vacuum and in the absence of air resistance.
By dropping various objects, including cannonballs and smaller items, Galileo observed that they all reached the ground simultaneously, proving that weight does not affect the rate of fall. This experiment challenged the prevailing Aristotelian view and revolutionized the field of physics.
Galileo’s findings paved the way for the development of Isaac Newton’s laws of motion and ultimately the modern understanding of gravity. His experiment and subsequent observations not only overturned Aristotle’s theory but also contributed significantly to the scientific method and our understanding of the physical world.
In conclusion, Galileo Galilei’s Leaning Tower of Pisa experiment challenged the theory of falling objects proposed by the Ancient Greek scientist Aristotle. It demonstrated that the rate of fall is independent of an object’s weight, ultimately leading to the advancement of physics and the study of gravity.