What relationship does the Galilean equivalence principle establish regarding freefall?

The Galilean equivalence principle states that in a vacuum, all objects fall at the same rate regardless of their mass or composition. This principle is rooted in the observations made by Galileo, who demonstrated that objects released from the same height would hit the ground simultaneously if air resistance is negligible. In a vacuum, where there is no air resistance to influence the falling motion, the acceleration due to gravity is the same for all objects.

This principle leads to the conclusion that the effects of gravity are uniform for different masses, meaning that a feather and a hammer will fall at the same rate if dropped simultaneously in a vacuum, as famously demonstrated by astronaut David Scott on the Moon. Understanding this principle is fundamental to the study of motion under gravity, providing clear insight into how gravitational forces operate independently of the mass of the falling object.