The curve will always be the quickest route regardless of how strong gravity is or how heavy the object is. However, it might not be the quickest if there is friction.
The curve can be found using calculus of variations and optimal control.
Heliodor Píka
General Heliodor Píka (July 3, 1897 Štítina – June 21, 1949 Plzeň ) was a Czechoslovakian army officer. He is also well known as representative of Czechoslovakian anti-Nazi resistance and a victim of communism.
Heliodor Píka was born on July 3,1897 in Štítina near Opava. His father was Ignác Píka, who was a wheelwright. In 1915 he graduated from the Gymnasium in Opava. Originally, he wanted to study Pharmacy. In 1916 he was sent to the Galician front. On July 28, 1916, he was captured by Russian units in Berestechko. Later he joined Czechoslovakian legion.
In 1917 he was sent to the Western front in France. In Le Havre he went through intensive military training. He fought there until 1919.
In 1920 he graduated from École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr. He became a teacher at the Military academy in Hranice. In the 1930s, Píka acted as a military attaché to Romania and Turkey.
At the time of the February coup, General Píka was ill. In March 1948, he had to stay at the military hospital in Prague. While he was recovering, General Reicin ordered him to be arrested and interrogated. He was falsely accused of spying and of High treason. In January 26 to 28, 1948 he was tried and sentenced to death. The execution took place in the prison in Plzeň on June 21, 1948.
Thanks to Milan Píka, who was Píkas son, his case was reviewed. A military court proved that there is no single piece of evidence, which would convict him. On December 13, 1968 he was cleared of all charges and fully rehabilitated.
Dermot Gallagher
Dermot Anthony Gallagher (1944 – 15 January 2017) was an Irish civil servant. He served as the Secretary General of the Department of Foreign Affairs. He left office as Secretary-General on 24 January 2009 and was replaced by David Cooney, former Ambassador to the United Kingdom. He was known for serving as Ireland's ambassador to the United States and for helping establishing peace with Northern Ireland.
Gallagher was born in Carrick-on-Shannon, Leitrim. He studied and taught at the University College Dublin. His diplomatic career began in 1969.
During his diplomat career, Gallagher worked in London, New York City at the United Nations Headquarters, in Brussels and in San Francisco, California. He was made "deputy chief of the cabinet" at the European Commission. In 1971, he married his wife, Maeve Farrell.
He was appointed Ambassador to the United States in 1991 where he developed a wide range of friendships and contacts. One of these was Bill Clinton, then governor of Arkansas. During his time as ambassador, he helped secure a U.S. visa for Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams. After his posting in Washington D.C., he returned home in 1997 with the title of Second Secretary General. Along with Bertie Ahern, Gallagher wanted to establish peace with Northern Ireland.
In February 2009 he was nominated to be Chairman of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission and was appointed Chairman of University College Dublin Governing Authority.
Gallagher died on 15 January 2017 in Dublin, aged 72. On his death, President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, said: "Mr Gallagher dedicated a lifetime to public service, serving with distinction as ambassador to the United States and making a significant contribution to the peace process in Northern Ireland.
Han Peixin
Han Peixin () (October 1921 – January 15, 2017) was a People's Republic of China politician. He was born in Xiangshui County, Jiangsu.
He was Communist Party of China Committee Secretary and governor of his home province of Jiangsu. He first served as governor for a year from 1982 through 1983 and later secretary from 1983 through 1989. He was a delegate to the 5th National People's Congress (1978–1983), 6th National People's Congress (1983–1988) and 7th National People's Congress (1988–1993).
Peixin died in Jiangsu, China on January 15, 2017 from cardiac arrest at the age of 95.
Jiří Navrátil
Jiří Navrátil (10 September 1923 – 16 January 2017) was a Czech scout leader and anti-communist activist. He served as the President of Junák, the Czech Scout and Guide association.
Navrátil was born in Germany. In 1937. he became a Scout in Prague.
He was arrested and held several months by the Gestapo during World War II. In 1949, he tried to oppose the Communist takeover of Czechoslovakia with other Scouts. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison, and was released in 1960.
During the Prague Spring in 1968, Navrátil was one of the refounders of Junák, the Czech Scout movement. The movement was suppressed again in 1970. Following the Velvet Revolution in 1989, he became one of the main Leaders of the third restoration of Junák.
He was one of the important people of the 1999 10th European Conference of Guiding and Scouting in Prague, in which President Václav Havel gave the opening speech.
In 2002, Navrátil was awarded the 292nd "Bronze Wolf", the only distinction of the World Organization of the Scout Movement, awarded by the World Scout Committee for exceptional services to world Scouting.
Navrátil died on 16 January 2017 in Prague at the age of 93.
Eugene Cernan
Eugene Andrew "Gene" Cernan (; March 14, 1934 – January 16, 2017), (CAPT, USN, Ret.), was an American naval officer and Naval Aviator, electrical engineer, aeronautical engineer, fighter pilot, and NASA astronaut.
Cernan was born in Chicago, Illinois. He was raised in Bellwood, Illinois and in Maywood, Illinois. He studied at Purdue University and at the Naval Postgraduate School.
He traveled into space three times: as Pilot of Gemini 9A in June 1966, as Lunar Module Pilot of Apollo 10 in May 1969, and as Commander of Apollo 17 in December 1972, the final Apollo lunar landing.
On Apollo 17, Cernan became the eleventh person to walk on the Moon and the most recent man to walk on the Moon since he was the last to re-enter the Lunar Module "Challenger" after the mission's third and final mission. Cernan was also a backup crew member for the Gemini 12, Apollo 7 and Apollo 14 space missions.
Cernan died on January 16, 2017 at a hospital in Houston, Texas, aged 82.
Jan Jánský
Jan Jánský (30 March 1873 in Prague,Czech Republic - 8 September 1921 in Černošice) was a neurologist and psychiatrist. He was the the first to divide human blood into the four types (A, B, AB, 0) of the AB0 blood group system. His discovery saved millions of lives.
He studied medicine at Charles University in Prague. From 1899 he worked in a psychiatric clinic. He became a professor at Charles University and a doctor of medicine.
He served as a doctor for 2 years on the front lines. After suffering a heart attack in 1916, he was dismissed from the army. After that he was in charge of the department of Neurology and Forensic Psychiatry at the Central Military Hospital in Prague.
He suffered from angina pectoris. Jánský died of Coronary artery disease.
Jánský was a promoter of blood donations. Donators of Czech Republic or Slovakia receive a medal. In 1953 he was the subject of a movie directed by Martin Frič.
Emil Zátopek
Emil Zátopek (19 September 1922 - 22 November 2000) was a Czechoslovak runner from town Kopřivnice. He is mostly known for winning 3 gold medals at the 1952 Summer Olympic games in Helsinki. He won in 5,000 metres, 10,000 metres runs and in marathon. He never ran a marathon before. But he decided at the last minute to start with others. He set former record with time 2:23:03,2.