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Q: Because of free fall astronauts appear this way in orbit?
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Because of free fall astonauts appear this way in orbit?

weightless


Why are astronauts floating above the Earth in a Space Shuttle really no weightless?

Weight is an expression of the gravitational force acting on an object. When the space shuttle is in orbit around the Earth, it is held there by the Earth's gravity. Since gravity is still acting on the shuttle and the astronauts inside, they still have weight. They are described as "weightless" because an object in orbit is in a constant state of free fall.


Why do astronauts appear to be floating even though they are still in orbit?

They are essentially in a state of permanent free-fall. Their ship is falling to earth at the same rate as the curve of the earth is falling away form them; ergo continually falling. It has nothing to do anything 'anti-gravity'.


If the Earth fell where would it go?

The world is falling already. It is falling around the sun. An orbit can be thought of as a free fall where the bottom keeps moving away from you so you never hit it. Gravity exists everywhere in the universe. Some people think there is no gravity in space because they have seen astronauts floating around when they are in orbit. They float because the force of gravity on their bodies has been balanced by their centrifugal force generated by the speed of their orbit around the earth. If they were to stay still in one spot in their orbit, they would surely feel the force of gravity as they fell back to Earth.


Why don't satellites in orbit fall to the ground why don't the fly off in space?

that is because the 0 gravity keeps it in space and the orbit brings them around without knocking them down or anywhere else

Related questions

Are astronauts weightless in orbit?

As there is no gravity in space, everything will float........... Because They're in free fall ........


Because of free fall astonauts appear this way in orbit?

weightless


Do astronauts in orbit around the earth experience the same gravitational force as they do on ground?

Yes, but they do not "feel" gravity, because they are falling - "free fall" in orbit around the Earth.


Why do astronauts appear to be weightless in a spacecraft orbiting earth?

Free fall


Why are astronauts floating above the Earth in a Space Shuttle really no weightless?

Weight is an expression of the gravitational force acting on an object. When the space shuttle is in orbit around the Earth, it is held there by the Earth's gravity. Since gravity is still acting on the shuttle and the astronauts inside, they still have weight. They are described as "weightless" because an object in orbit is in a constant state of free fall.


Why do astronauts appear to be floating even though they are still in orbit?

They are essentially in a state of permanent free-fall. Their ship is falling to earth at the same rate as the curve of the earth is falling away form them; ergo continually falling. It has nothing to do anything 'anti-gravity'.


Why do astronauts use space pen?

astronauts use space pen because as there is 0gravity in space ink will not fall on the paper


Should astronauts exercise while in free fall?

Astronauts should and do exercise in freefall


Why would Earth's orbit fall towards earth?

It wouldn't because that's impossible


If the Earth fell where would it go?

The world is falling already. It is falling around the sun. An orbit can be thought of as a free fall where the bottom keeps moving away from you so you never hit it. Gravity exists everywhere in the universe. Some people think there is no gravity in space because they have seen astronauts floating around when they are in orbit. They float because the force of gravity on their bodies has been balanced by their centrifugal force generated by the speed of their orbit around the earth. If they were to stay still in one spot in their orbit, they would surely feel the force of gravity as they fell back to Earth.


Why do astronauts feel weightless while in orbit?

Astronauts in orbit are weightless, but not because they are beyond the pull of earth's gravity. If the moon, roughly 240,000 miles away, is within the influence of earth's gravity, so is an astronaut just a few miles up in comparison. Astronauts are weightless because they are in orbit, and being in orbit can be thought of very roughly as a special kind of freefall. They are held by gravity, but they are also moving along a path that keeps them from descending appreciably during their flight. If you remember clips you have seen of astronauts in the space station, floating freely, you can see how futile it would be to try to 'stand' on an ordinary house scale to measure how 'heavy' they are in pounds. But if you could sling an astronaut around on a kind of mass-measuring centrifuge (not too fast, of course) you would see that they are maintaining a healthy mass. Weight and mass are different measures, even if they seem to be indistinguishable on the earth's surface.


Why do astronauts on a space station feel weightless?

At 100 miles from the surface of the earth, gravity is still quite strong, as you've indicated. The reason astronauts appear to be weightless is because they are in freefall. I.e. they are being pulled down by gravity, but never touching anything that provides an equal but opposite force up. If they are falling, why aren't they hitting the ground (or at least the floors/walls of their space craft)? It's because they (and their spacecraft) are in orbit. To be in orbit at 100 miles up, you'd have to be traveling at about 17,000 mph perpendicular to the pull of gravity. Fast enough so that when you fall toward the Earth, you move away far enough that the curve of the Earth "falls" away from you, so you stay at the same height.