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First off it is important to realize that weight is not the same as mass. (Some people make that mistake, so I thought it best to clear that one immediately). The mass of an object is unaffected by free fall.
Now for the question, weight is the force that stops you from free fall. In this regard it is automatically zero in free fall since there is no force opposing you. However, it is instructive to consider this somewhat further.
How do you measure weight? Well, here on Earth you might simply stand on a weight meter and read off what it says (even though it usually gives its answer in kilograms, you can convert these into Newtons using the gravitational constant). How does this device measure your weight? Usually it contains a spring of some sort that provides a force stopping you from crushing it. This force is what is measured, and this force is what stops you from falling through the meter. It is sometimes referred to as the normal force. This is your weight.
Now imagine doing the same in free fall. Say you jump out of spaceship above Earth (to neglect air resistance), in a spacesuit (to neglect you dying from lack of said air), and a weight meter. How would you proceed to use it?
You can put it under your feet, but the meter is accelerated towards Earth in the same manner as you (barring any tidal effects), so the spring is not needed to stop you from crushing it. As a result the meter shows you are weightless. You move towards the meter due to gravity, but the meter moves away just as quickly due to the same gravity. The overall point then is that you are weightless because your acceleration towards Earth exactly cancels the gravitational acceleration in a way.
This is because an object's resistance to acceleration is its mass, and the strength of the gravitational force is also depending on its mass and these quantities drop out of the equation and everything falls with the same speed.
What else can I help you with?
How does gravity affect weight mass microgravity and free fall?
Gravity is the force that pulls objects towards each other; weight is the measure of the gravitational force acting on an object’s mass. In space or during free fall, objects experience microgravity, where they appear weightless because they are in a state of continuous free fall. However, the mass of the object remains the same regardless of the gravitational force affecting it.
What is weight and weightlessness?
Weight is the force exerted on an object due to gravity, typically measured in newtons or pounds. Weightlessness, on the other hand, occurs when an object is in free fall and experiences no gravitational force, resulting in a sensation of floating. This often happens in environments like space or during a state of free fall.
Can a simple pendulum oscillate during free fall motion?
No, a simple pendulum cannot oscillate during free fall motion because in free fall, the object is accelerating due to gravity and there is no restoring force acting on the object to cause oscillations.
Why weight of free falling objects is zero?
The mass of an object is the same wherever the object is (even outer space), but its weight depends on how the mass is affected by gravity. So it's convenient to measure weight using scales. If the object was sitting on some scales as they were both falling to earth the scales would show zero because there would be no pressure from the object.
When your weight is greater than mg and when your weight is zero?
When your weight is greater than mg, the normal force acting on you will be greater than your weight, resulting in an upward force. When your weight is zero (for example, during free fall), the normal force is also zero as there is no contact surface to exert a force on you.
How does gravity affect weight mass microgravity and free fall?
Gravity is the force that pulls objects towards each other; weight is the measure of the gravitational force acting on an object’s mass. In space or during free fall, objects experience microgravity, where they appear weightless because they are in a state of continuous free fall. However, the mass of the object remains the same regardless of the gravitational force affecting it.
Why during free fall a body weighs nothing?
Because any scale that weighs the object must also be in free fall (that is the frame of reference you have given) and the result will be no weight. Though the mass might be large (the mass does not change in different situations), the weight as measured by a balance or scale, is zero.
When does weightless occur?
During free fall.
What is weight and weightlessness?
Weight is the force exerted on an object due to gravity, typically measured in newtons or pounds. Weightlessness, on the other hand, occurs when an object is in free fall and experiences no gravitational force, resulting in a sensation of floating. This often happens in environments like space or during a state of free fall.
Why are gases weightless?
they are not. if anything has mass, it has weight (unless in free fall).
If weight is added to a object will it go fast or slow?
Depend on if you are talking a "free-fall" or an object descending the side of a mountain. Free-fall all objects regardless of weight fall at the same rate of speed (36 feet per second).
In free fall when the air resistance is equal to the weight of the falling object we say that the object has reached velocity?
In free fall, when the air resistance is equal to the weight of the falling object, we say that the object has reached ________ velocity.
Can a simple pendulum oscillate during free fall motion?
No, a simple pendulum cannot oscillate during free fall motion because in free fall, the object is accelerating due to gravity and there is no restoring force acting on the object to cause oscillations.
Why weight of free falling objects is zero?
The mass of an object is the same wherever the object is (even outer space), but its weight depends on how the mass is affected by gravity. So it's convenient to measure weight using scales. If the object was sitting on some scales as they were both falling to earth the scales would show zero because there would be no pressure from the object.
When your weight is greater than mg and when your weight is zero?
When your weight is greater than mg, the normal force acting on you will be greater than your weight, resulting in an upward force. When your weight is zero (for example, during free fall), the normal force is also zero as there is no contact surface to exert a force on you.
How is free fall related to acceleration?
during free fall of body the gravity of earth tries to attract the body as it applied equally to whole body ... so body do not experience any gravitational force and there is nothing present in the atmosphere to oppose the fall which results it have maximum acceleration during free fall....
Why an astronaut in a space shuttle feels weightless?
"Weight" happens when the attraction of gravity on a mass is resisted, we only FEEL the weight when we are resisting gravity. Weightlessness therefore happens when gravity is not resisted - when you are in "free-fall".In a space when you are in orbit round the Earth, you are effectively in "free-fall" and therefore as you are not resisting gravity you are weightless (but not massless).
