We watched intensely as Neil the Grass Tyson 'proved' gravity by dropping his microphone to the studio floor and the audience cheered.?

Question

But wouldn't a heavy object have fallen to the floor anyway, even if there was no force of attraction pulling on it? Hod did his stunt 'prove' anything?

https://tenor.com/view/mic-drop-neil-de-grasse-tys...

Answer 1

Favorite Answer

Without gravity no object would "fall" but have to be pushed. He did not "prove" gravity but that things fall, gravity is still not fully understood we have hypotheses of what it is and how it works and that it is an effect of space and mass, we know its effects. 

Answer 2

If there was no force of attraction pulling on the object, it would not be heavy. It would only be massive. 

 

You're correct that the stunt didn't prove gravity. But it demonstrated it, and that was all that he appears to claim in the video loop.

Answer 3

Without gravity

***or some similar downward force***

the object would not be heavy

and would not fall.

I didn't watch the video

but

he did NOT actually prove gravity by doing that.

He ONLY proved that there was SOME downward force acting on the microphone

WITHOUT proving anything else about the nature or source of that force.

Answer 4

You're not serious, are you?  Is there anyone actually stupid enough to think that things fall with no gravity acting on them?

Answer 5

"But wouldn't a heavy object have fallen to the floor anyway, even if there was no force of attraction pulling on it?"

No, every body continues in its state of rest or uniform motion in a straight line unless compelled by some external force to act otherwise. That's Newton's First Law of Motion.