Science Grade 12

Investigating Principles Governing
Motion
Quarter 2 Module 2
In the previous module, you have learned how ancient
Greeks presented the concept of spherical Earth, cited
different astronomical phenomena known before the
advent of the telescope, and explained Brahe’s inventions
and discoveries which paved the way to the development
of Kepler’s laws of planetary motion. In this module, you
will examine Aristotelian and Galilean conceptions
regarding motion, describe a body in motion exhibiting
uniform acceleration, explain the distinction between
Newton’s first law of motion to Galileo’s assertion, and
identify the practical applications of the aforementioned
topics in our day to day living.
Galilean Conceptions vs. Aristotelian
Conceptions
According to Aristotle, motion is classified as natural

or violent motion. He explained that in a natural
motion, a body will move and will return to its natural
state based on the body’s nature and composition.In
contrast, a body moving in a violent motion needs an
external force for it to move. However, Galileo
disproved Aristotle’s claims and stated that the motion
of a body is not due to its composition.
He further asserted that the motion of a body can
be described by measurement and the changes in
quantifiable variables such as time and distance.
Lastly, he further asserted that:
1. A body who is in uniform motion will move a
distance that is proportional to the time it will take
to travel;
2. A uniformly accelerating body will travel at a speed
proportional to time; and
3. An object in motion will keep moving; and the
external force is not necessary to maintain the
motion.
With regards to the concept of vertical
motion, Aristotle pointed out that the
velocity of a body is inversely proportional
to the time it covers to travel a certain
height. On the other hand, Galileo
emphasized that if two objects of different
weights are dropped from a high point, both
will hit the ground at the same time.In terms
Aristotle mentioned that
bodies require force to
maintain horizontal motion.
In the contrary, Galileo
asserted that if there is no
interference, a body in motion
will keep moving in a straight
line forever. He further added
that there is no need to apply
The external force will act upon the
body not to keep it from moving, but
for it to stop movingLastly, with
regards to projectile motion, Aristotle
coined the concept of antiperistasis
which is the resistance of a medium in
response to the movement of a body;
while Galileo explained that
projectiles follow a curved path with a
horizontal and vertical component.
Galileo and his Uniform Acceleration
Galileo asserted using his cannonball

experiment that when objects are dropped
simultaneously at the same height, they will
reach the ground at the same time regardless of
mass, size, and air resistance. This experiment
paved the way for the discovery of the
Furthermore, he noticed that falling objects
increases their speed as they go down and he
coined this change in speed as acceleration.
His observations lead to remarkable
conclusions that regardless of the mass, size,
and shape of an object, and air resistance,
falling objects will always have uniform
acceleration and that, force is not necessary
He further asserted that the speed of a
body is directly proportional to the time it
travels a path and that the distance
covered by a moving body is directly
proportional to the square of time interval
which implies that the speed of a falling
object does not depend on a body’s
weight but on the time of fall. Lastly,
using his inclined plane experiment and
cannonball experiment, he came up with
➢ A body moving down an inclined plane
increases its acceleration by the same
value after every second.
➢ The maximum acceleration of a body is
attained when the inclined plane is
positioned vertically as if the body is
falling.
➢ Using the law of parabolic fall, he
concluded that bodies fall with constant
acceleration on the surface and that gravity
Galileo’s Assertion and Newton’s
Laws of Motion
Galileo Galilei proposed the first accurate

principle governing motion and masses in his
experiments wherein, remarkable findings such
as bodies accelerate at the same rate regardless
of their respective masses and sizes and that
force is not needed to sustain horizontal motion
He stated that the mass of an
object is proportional to its
resistance to move and that
force is not necessary to keep
an object in motion.
However, Sir Isaac Newton
proposed Laws on Motion
anchored on the findings of
Galileo and expounded his
he mentioned that an object at rest
will remain at rest unless acted upon
by an external force and a body in
motion will keep moving unless
external force is acted upon it. Lastly,
he stated that a body will only
accelerate if an external force is acted
upon it.
Newton’s first law states that, if a
This postulate is known as inertia
which was proposed by Galileo in
his experiment about horizontal
motion wherein, he stated that a
body requires an external force to
move and that an external force
must be acted upon for a body to
rest.
On the other hand, the second law states
that the change in momentum of a body is
equal to the magnitude and direction of
force acting upon it. He further added that
force is the product of the mass of an
object and its acceleration. Lastly, the
third law also known as the law of
interaction states that when two bodies
interact, both will apply equal amount of
forces to one another in the opposite
direction.
Fill in the blank!
1. According to Aristotle, motion is classified as
________or ___________.
2. However, ________ disproved Aristotle’s claims and
stated that the motion of a body is not due to its
composition.
3. _________ pointed out that the velocity of a body is
inversely proportional to the time it covers to travel a
certain height.
4. __________ Mentioned that bodies require force to
maintain horizontal motion.
5. _________ asserted that if there is no interference, a
body in motion will keep moving in a straight line
forever.
6 Rising of smoke is an example of what type of motion
according to Aristotle?
a. Natural. b. Normal c. Reaction d. violent
7. Which of the following is needed to put a body to rest?

a. inertia b. Force. c. gravity d. mass
8. The resistance of a medium in response to movement of a

body is known as;
a. antiperistasis b. force c. Inertia d. gravity
9. What will happen if an external force is
acted upon a body at rest?
a. it will move c. nothing will
happen
b. it will not move. d. it will remain in
motion
10. What will happen to the acceleration of
the body if a marble moves in a sloped
downward plane?
a. accelerates
b. decelerates
Natural and violent
Thank you!

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Science Grade 12

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Investigating Principles Governing

According to Aristotle, motion is classified as natural

Galileo asserted using his cannonball

Galileo Galilei proposed the first accurate

7. Which of the following is needed to put a body to rest?

8. The resistance of a medium in response to movement of a

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