Why can't you feel gravity?

Answer 1

This is a very good question! You might be fooled into thinking that the only thing we feel if we walk around is the normal force pushing upwards against our feet, but this is because we are so used to feeling the effect of gravity (because it is almost never absent) that we are not consciously aware of it.

You can check this by going into a rollercoaster or a fun fare attraction where there is a drop in free fall or even on a swing. In such situations you might feel a soft tingling in your stomach as your organs adjust to being in free fall.

Being in free fall actually means you are no longer feeling the effects of gravity. This might sound strange, after all you are falling because of gravity! But it is true. In fact, it is the thing that prompted Albert Einstein to formulate his theory of gravity.

And since we can feel the absence of gravity (the tingling of the stomach for example) we must also be able to feel gravity (or rather acceleration). It is just that we are so used to living with gravity and free fall situations are so rare that we think we do not feel gravity.

Answer 2

Gravity is a fundamental force that acts on all objects with mass. We don't feel it because we are used to its effects – we are constantly subject to gravity's pull whether or not we are aware of it. Gravity becomes noticeable when we experience acceleration or changes in gravitational pull, such as when riding an elevator or falling.