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weightlessness |
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weightlessness, the absence of any observable effects of gravitation gravitation, the attractive force existing between any two particles of matter .
The Law of Universal GravitationSince the gravitational force is experienced by all matter in the universe, from the largest galaxies down to the smallest particles, it ..... Click the link for more information. . This condition is experienced by an observer when he and his immediate surroundings are allowed to move freely in the local gravitational field field, in physics, region throughout which a force may be exerted; examples are the gravitational, electric, and magnetic fields that surround, respectively, masses, electric charges, and magnets. The field concept was developed by M. ..... Click the link for more information. . All bodies in the weightless environment experience the same acceleration. The more massive bodies (see mass mass, in physics, the quantity of matter in a body regardless of its volume or of any forces acting on it. The term should not be confused with weight , which is the measure of the force of gravity (see gravitation ) acting on a body. ..... Click the link for more information. ) in the surroundings experience a stronger gravitational force, but they also have more inertia inertia (ĭnûr`shə), in physics, the resistance of a body to any alteration in its state of motion , i.e. ..... Click the link for more information. , or resistance to acceleration. As seen by a stationary outside observer, they appear to move together without any constraint. To the observer being accelerated, objects appear to float freely in space and to move with uniform speed in a straight line when given a push. Three examples of situations where weightlessness is encountered are: (1) an elevator falling freely in a vacuum; (2) a space capsule orbiting the earth; (3) a spacecraft drifting in outer space with its engines off. weightlessness [′wāt·ləs·nəs] (mechanics) A condition in which no acceleration, whether of gravity or other force, can be detected by an observer within the system in question. Also known as zero gravity. How to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit webmaster's page for free fun content. |
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| With it, we can explain why the planets orbit the sun, why a ball bounces, and why you feel that brief sensation of weightlessness on a roller coaster as it plunges down a steep incline. Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo will carry between six and nine people in a cabin large enough to allow them to float in weightlessness and equipped with numerous windows, but officials are saying little more about it. For $9,895 and a signed release from a physician, anyone over 18 can experience the weightlessness of space flight. |
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