Quote:
Originally Posted by RascalPuff 
Why are inert (inertial) and heavy (gravitational) mass values, identical?
Why is it that, in the absence of air resistance and near the earth's surface, when objects of widely varying mass value are released from the same height at the same time, they descend at exactly the same rate of acceleration and strike the earth at the same time?
Regards,
- RP
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As to why (M)ass and (m)ass have identical values I'm not sure. 'I'm not sure' is a very common answer from the science novice.
My answer to the second question is the same as Michaels, things fall at the same rate because they are the same. One marble (small mass) will fall at the same rate as ten marbles (big mass). This is why Galileo and Newton directed us down the road of Atomic structure or the 'particulate' structure of matter.
But there is one thing I am very sure about ... its lucky that big 'M' and little 'm' are equal. 10 marbles requires ten times the gravitational force to overcome its inertial resistance which is ten times that of one marble. This maintains equality. Otherwise big things would accelerate much faster than little things, solar orbits would be peculiar, trucks would beat cars in races ....the world would be a strange place!
Because none of these things do happen, is the proof that matter is 'particulate' in structure.
I don't think we really know what matter is yet. Hey Rascal. I'm sure you know all this anyway, why are you asking?
cool bananas ... greg