What is weightlessness?
When picturing an astronaut, most of us probably see someone hanging upside down inside a spacecraft, their hair standing on end and trying to catch a drink like Tintin’s faithful companion Captain Haddock, who watches his whisky curl into a ball in Explorers on the Moon. Weightlessness is a strange phenomenon indeed…
It is generally thought that only space travellers can experience weightlessness. In fact, this state of apparent levitation is widely misunderstood.
It is generally thought that only space travellers can experience weightlessness. In fact, this state of apparent levitation is widely misunderstood.
For example, did you know we can experience weightlessness without going into space?
That just getting above the Earth’s atmosphere and then simply slamming on the brakes will not create weightless conditions?
That astronauts are not motionless, but are in fact travelling at mind-boggling speed?
Or that you are in a state of weightlessness when jumping off a diving board?
Or that you are in a state of weightlessness when jumping off a diving board?
In weightlessness you have the impression of floating, while in fact you are falling; you think you are in a vacuum, but in fact you are breathing…
So just what is this truly deceptive phenomenon?
So just what is this truly deceptive phenomenon?
| Word watch |
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Microgravity and weightlessness Weightlessness, also often called zero gravity, is in fact an ideal, theoretical state that does not exist in practice. There are always parasitic forces sustaining a residual gravity. For this reason, the environment on board a spacecraft is more often referred to as microgravity, which is of the order of one-millionth of the Earth’s gravity. |
Last updated: February 2003
