Quick Answer:The Guinea & Feather Apparatus shows that objects fall at the same rate in a vacuum regardless of weight, using a 16 mm diameter glass tube 50 cm long with two rubber bungs and a 40 cm connecting tube for a vacuum pump.
Last updated: 18 October 2026
Key Features
Glass tube, 16 mm diameter and 50 cm long.
Two rubber bungs.
40 cm length of tube for connection to a vacuum pump.
Also used to time falling paper at different air pressures to study air resistance.
Technical Specifications
Specification
Value
Glass tube
16 mm diameter x 50 cm
Bungs
Two, rubber
Vacuum connection tube
40 cm
How It Is Used
Two objects of different weight and air resistance, such as a mass and a feather or piece of paper, are placed in the tube and the air is pumped out. When the tube is inverted they reach the bottom together; repeating at different pressures shows how air resistance affects the acceleration under gravity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What else is needed with the Guinea & Feather Apparatus?
A vacuum pump, connected through the 40 cm length of tube supplied with the apparatus.
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