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Flat earthers argue that gravity isn't real because as Einstein said, that if you were in a box in space then you couldn't tell the difference between it suddenly starting to accelerate upwards at a constant speed and gravity being switched on. Is there any experiment that you could do, that would help you differentiate between the two? Something like two falling objects being pulled towards each other?

Pavol Komlos
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    Re, "...any experiment you could do..." Henry Cavendish effectively measured the gravitational attraction between two metal spheres in 1797. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavendish_experiment But, don't be surprised if your Flat Earth friend already knows about that, and already has memorized and practiced a fallacious argument that seems at first glance to disprove or dismiss Cavendish's result. – Solomon Slow Jan 29 '20 at 15:46
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    @SolomonSlow, there is absolutely no hope for the people who choose to be deliberately ignorant. Such people are unteachable. – David White Jan 29 '20 at 15:52
  • Re. your question: The equivalence principle is for a small "box" and it is subject to a constant acceleration, not a constant speed. And the small condition is the key to what you want because two objects far apart will have a radial trajectory toward the center of the earth whereas in a flat earth moving up scenario, they would have parallel trajectories. Having said that, I agree with David White that trying to convince a flat earther would be hopeless. – Not_Einstein Jan 29 '20 at 17:26

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