• falcunculus@jlai.lu
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    18 hours ago

    I assume you mean keeping the outer diameter the same and making one ball lighter than the other. That’s clever, it would eliminate aerodynamism as a factor.

    However wouldn’t results still vary, since hollowing out the metal ball increases its buoyancy ? (Archimedes’ principle).

    • heatofignition@lemmy.world
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      16 hours ago

      They would have the same coefficient of drag, correct, but the air resistance would end up having more effect on the lighter mass of the hollow sphere, so it would be slightly slower to fall.

      Archimedes principle here is accounted for in the different weights. Everything that you can put on a scale is already being acted on by Archimedes principle in air.