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Because astronauts are falling through space with their spacecraft, they experience a condition known as microgravity, which creates a sensation of weightlessness. This occurs when both the spacecraft and the astronauts are in free fall towards Earth, creating an environment where the effects of gravity are significantly reduced. As a result, astronauts can float freely within the spacecraft, allowing them to conduct experiments and perform tasks without the constraints of gravity.

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Why do astronauts experience less gravitational force?

They don't. They have just as much gravitational force on them as you and me. The difference is the two initial frames of reference. You and I are being held down to planet. They are "falling" around the planet in an orbital free fall.


Do astronauts feel gravity on space?

An object is said to be in free fall when the only force acting on it is its weight. All objects in a vacuum fall at the same rate regardless of their masses. All bodies in orbit, including the International Space Station (ISS), are in free fall, but as long as they are going fast enough their momentum keeps them in orbit instead of falling down. Since the net force acting on the astronauts and cosmonauts in the ISS are exactly the same as those acting on the ISS itself, with respect to the ISS they experience a net force of zero, which means that they are experiencing weightlessness.


Why do astronauts float weightlessly in space?

There is (apparent) zero gravity. The absolute gravity in orbit is about 90% of what it is on the surface of the earth, but the effective gravity is zero, and for a good reason.The fact is that in orbit, you are actually falling, but your forward speed is such that the curvature of the planet is dropping at the same rate that you are falling.And the astronauts are falling at the exact same speed as their capsule. This is called freefall.


what is it called when an orbiting astronaut floats and feels no gravity?

An orbiting spacecraft or space station continues in orbit because its forward momentum carries it around the planet even as gravity tries to pull it down. So astronauts are literally "falling" toward the Earth when they are in orbit. This "freefall" means that they do not experience the actual acceleration force. Nothing in an orbiting spacecraft experiences effective gravity, so moving around is much easier, and objects have to be secured to prevent them from floating away.However, objects still have the same mass, so will have the same inertia if moving: an iron weight thrown across the cabin will impact with the same force if it hits something, and a huge satellite in a shuttle launch bay will still require a lot of energy to push from the bay. But the absence of gravity would make exercises such as a one-hand push-up ridiculously easy to do.


How high must a spacecraft be before weightlessness is detectable?

Its not a questions of height or altitude. Its about things free falling. A space ship falling around the Earth (everything in the space ship is also falling at the same speed) the astronauts are falling too. If you put a scale on the floor and an astronaut stepped on it, there is no downward force so it looks like they are weightless. Picture yourself in an elevator at the top floor. You're standing on a scale. Gravity pulls you and the scale, but the elevator floor prevent you from falling. The scale will measure your weight. If the elevator suddenly fell, it, you and the scale would all be accelerating towards the basement at 9.8m/s/s. The scale would read ZERO, because there is no force acting on the scale.

Related Questions

Why does astronauts experience weightlessness in space?

Astronauts experience weightlessness in space because they are in a state of free fall while orbiting Earth. The spacecraft and the astronauts inside it are moving forward at high speeds, creating a continuous free-fall condition around the planet. This means that both the spacecraft and the astronauts are falling toward Earth due to gravity, but because they also have a significant horizontal velocity, they keep missing it, resulting in a sensation of weightlessness. This condition is often referred to as microgravity.


Because of free fall astonauts appear this way in orbit?

Because of free fall in orbit, astronauts experience a continuous state of falling towards Earth while moving forward at a high speed. This results in a sensation of weightlessness, giving the appearance that they are floating or flying inside the spacecraft.


Why do astronauts appear weightless and space?

Astronauts appear weightless in space because they are in a state of free fall, orbiting the Earth along with their spacecraft. This creates a condition known as microgravity, where both the astronauts and the spacecraft are falling towards Earth at the same rate, resulting in the sensation of weightlessness. Although gravity is still present, the lack of a solid surface to push against leads to this floating experience.


Because of free fall astronauts appear this way in orbit?

Because of free fall, astronauts in orbit appear weightless and float within their spacecraft. This is due to the spacecraft and everything inside it, including the astronauts, all falling towards Earth together at the same rate. The sensation of weightlessness is a result of this continuous state of free fall.


When are astronauts in free fall?

Astronauts are in free fall when they are in a spacecraft that is orbiting Earth or another celestial body. In this state, both the spacecraft and the astronauts inside are falling towards the planet due to gravity but also moving forward at a high speed, creating a continuous state of free fall. This results in the sensation of weightlessness for the astronauts, as they are in a constant state of falling around the Earth rather than towards it.


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 dont astronauts hit there heads on the ceiling of the falling shuttle?

Astronauts inside a falling shuttle experience weightlessness because they are in a state of free fall alongside the shuttle. This means both the astronauts and the shuttle are falling together at the same rate, so there is no sensation of hitting the ceiling despite the lack of gravity.


Why does astronauts appear weightless in their earth orbiting space craft?

Astronauts appear weightless in their Earth-orbiting spacecraft because both the spacecraft and the astronauts are in a state of free fall towards Earth. While the spacecraft is moving forward at a high velocity, it is also falling towards the planet due to gravity. This continuous free fall creates a condition known as microgravity, where the effects of gravity are still present but are not felt by the astronauts, making them seem weightless relative to their surroundings.


Are astronaunts in orbit around earth really weightless?

The astronauts appear to be weightless as they are in a constant freefall, falling at the same speed as the space vehicle they are on. They are 'falling' but due to their angular speed, they are 'falling' around the earth, so don't crash into it. They still have their mass, but you can't really weigh the astronauts as any scales you try to use will read zero as the scales will also be 'falling' at the same rate.


Are astronauts weightless inside a international space station?

Astronauts inside the International Space Station experience a sensation of weightlessness due to the constant free-fall around Earth. This is because the spacecraft and everything inside it are in a state of continuous motion, falling towards Earth while also moving forward at a high speed, creating a feeling of weightlessness.


Why don't astronauts hit there head on the ceiling of falling shuttle?

Astronauts don't hit their heads on the ceiling of a falling shuttle because they experience microgravity, which creates a sensation of weightlessness. In this state, both the astronauts and the shuttle are in free fall together, moving at the same rate and direction. This means that there is no relative motion between the astronauts and the shuttle interior, preventing them from contacting the ceiling.


Why do astronauts float when in a orbiting space ship?

Astronauts float in an orbiting spaceship because both the spacecraft and the astronauts are in a state of free fall towards Earth. While the ship is constantly falling due to gravity, it also has a forward velocity that keeps it in orbit, creating a sensation of weightlessness. This condition is often referred to as microgravity, where the effects of gravity are still present but not felt in the same way as on the Earth's surface. As a result, astronauts appear to float relative to the spacecraft.