text: if a pencil and a bowling ball were dropped from 25,000 ft which would hit the ground first?   the bowling ball.  since you were not specific in how you were going to get 25,000 feet above the ground, i am going to assume that you are on top of the pacific ocean.  the ball will sink into the depths around the marianis trench and hit the ground some 4 1/2 miles underwater.  the pencil will float on the surface until it gets waterlogged.  it may sink but it will be much later than the ball.  what will those fish do with a bowling ball anyway?  bowling pins will float.