Galileo Galilei
Founder of Modern Science
Charlotte Fryar
2005
Early Life
Galileo was born on February 15,
1564 in Pisa, Italy. He entered a
monastery at the age of eleven and
stayed for four years.
Education
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In 1581 he entered the University of
Pisa for a medicinal degree. He had to
graduate without a degree due to lack of
money and afterwards, tutored students.
Early Scientific Interests
According to
legend, he dropped
two cannonballs off
the Tower of Pisa. He
made the correct
assumption that both
would hit at the same
time, regardless of
weight.
Lateral Motion
Galileo discovered that lateral
motion doesn’t change how fast the
object moves. The ball in the cannon is
demonstrating lateral motion.
Both of
these
balls will
hit at the
same
time.
Pendulums
Galileo discovered that length
of the string that the weight is
attached to depends on how fast the
pendulum moves back and forth.
Thermometers
Galileo invented the
first thermometer.
The colors of the
glass balls pertain
to different
temperatures and
rise and fall in the
water depending on
temperature.
Writing Works
Galileo wrote many
books and pamphlets,
including Dialogue
Concerning the Two
Chief World Systems.
Astronomical Discoveries
In 1610, he made
improvements on the
first telescope. In the
next few years he
discovered four moons
of Jupiter, phases of
the moon and Venus,
and sunspots.
An Important Theory
Galileo supported Copernicus’s
theory that the earth revolved around
the sun which got him in trouble.
Beginning Trouble
Galileo’s enemies (the ones that didn’t
support Copernicus’s theory) got him in trouble
with the Catholic Church, who requested him to
come to Rome to see his views on Orthodoxy.
He got off the charge on a warning.
Roman Catholic Church
The second
time he was
arrested for
the same
reason as the
first. He was
sentenced to
life in prison but because he was too
old (79) they sentenced him to house
arrest for the rest of his life.
House Arrest and Death
During his time
in house arrest he
became blind in
both eyes but still
continued to work
with physics until
he died on January
8, 1652.
All About Me!!!!
Hey! My name
is Charlotte Fryar
and I’m in the 7th
grade at Hanes
Middle School. I
love penguins, cats,
and cold weather. I
have lived in three
different places in
North Carolina.
Bibliography
• Paul P. Siperia. “Galileo.” Biographical
Encyclopedia of Scientist. 1998 ed.
•Milton Lomask. Great Lives. New York: Simon
and Schuster Children’s Publishing Divison,
1991.
•“Galileo.” World Book. 2003.
•David Abbot. The Biographical Dictionary of
Scientists. New York:Peter Bedrick
Books, 1984.
• J.G. Crowther. Six Great Scientists. Barnes
and Nobles, 1995.