The　motion　of　solid　particles　in　the　liquid　is　frequently　encountered　in　everyday　life　and　engineering　applications.　It　attracts　the　devotement　of　many　researchers　due　to　the　abundant　fluid　dynamic　phenomena　behind　the　motion　of　solid　particles　in　the　liquid.　In　the　present　paper,　we　experimentally　study　the　falling　characteristics　of　a　single　prolate　sphere　particle　descending　in　water　under　the　influence　of　buoyancy　force.　The　motion　tracking　platform　which　consists　of　two　orthogonal　high-speed　cameras　and　light　sources　accompanied　by　the　fluorescence　visualization　technology　is　adopted　to　obtain　the　paths　and　vortex　structures　of　the　falling　prolate　sphere　particle.　The　density　ratio　between　the　selected　prolate　sphere　and　surrounding　fluid　is　1.2,　while　the　aspect　ratio　of　the　selected　prolate　sphere　varies　from　2　to　10,　the　corresponding　Archimedes　number　changes　from　400　to　1400,　and　finally,　the　terminal　Reynolds　number　is　limited　in　the　range　from　120　to　1350.　During　the　experiments,　we　observe　five　typical　types　of　paths　during　the　falling　process　of　the　prolate　spheres,　which　corresponds　to　small　amplitude　irregular　motion,　small-amplitude　high-frequency　oscillation　motion,　large-amplitude　low-frequency　oscillation　motion,　highly　nonlinear　motion　and　rectilinear　motion,　respectively.　And　the　evolution　of　the　oscillation　of　velocity　and　the　inclination　angle　is　obtained.　Furthermore,　we　analyze　the　relationships　between　the　drag　coefficient　of　the　freely　falling　prolate　sphere　and　the　Reynolds　number　during　the　falling　process.　Then,　by　using　the　fluorescence　visualization　technique,　we　identify　the　different　vortex　shedding　modes,　which　are　responsible　for　different　falling　trajectories,　and　study　the　influence　of　vortex　shedding　on　the　path　of　free　falling　prolate　sphere.　Finally,　comparing　with　some　previous　results　on　the　falling　characteristics　of　the　slender　cylinder,　we　find　the　similarities　and　differences　of　the　motion　characteristics　between　the　prolate　sphere　and　the　slender　cylinder　and　the　potential　physical　mechanism.　©　2020,　Editorial　Department　of　CJAM.　All　right　reserved.