Who believed that all physical objects are affected equally by the same forces?

The belief that all physical objects are affected equally by the same forces is a fundamental principle encapsulated in Isaac Newton's laws of motion. Newton formulated three laws which detail how objects behave under the influence of forces, establishing a clear framework for understanding motion.

His second law, for example, states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on it and inversely proportional to its mass. This principle indicates that, regardless of the object's material or nature, any force applied will affect all objects in the same manner, as long as the relevant conditions (mass, friction, etc.) are accounted for.

Newton's work laid the foundation for classical mechanics, influencing subsequent scientific thought and experimentation. This understanding of uniformity in how forces act on objects regardless of their nature is crucial in both theoretical physics and practical applications in engineering and technology.