what special arrangements have to be made for sleeping, eating and drinking
2006-11-23 05:19:53 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
It's not zero gravity, it's microgravity actually. They lose bone mass and muscle tone when they are subjected to this condition because they are no longer applying weight and resistance to their bodies so their bodies stop maintaining what it percieves it doesn't need.
To sleep they must strap themselves to the wall and to drink they use straws to keep the liquid from floating everywhere. The name of the game when eating is, get it all in your mouth.
People can swallow in space as long as they have a normal, healthy GI tract because gravity isn't what keeps your food down. Your esophagus keeps itself flattened while it isn't in use and when you do swallow, the food or beverage is propelled down into your stomach by muscle ripples in your esophagus until it enters the stomach. The stomach has a sphincter muscle which acts as a valve up top that opens to allow food in and then closes to keep it in.
They can't take birds into outerspace because birds need the gravity here on Earth to swallow.
2006-11-23 05:31:09 · answer #1 · answered by minuteblue 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Microgravity is interesting.
The gravity is actually relatively normal on the space shuttle. However, the shuttle is freefalling towards the earth which causes the simulation of 'no gravity'.
Generally, they hook themselves down when they are sleeping. But sleep is hard to get on the space shuttle, mostly because of the flashing lights visible even with their eyes closed. This is mostly different forms radiation.
Eating can be hard. The food is usually packaged but they have a diet set up for them that they generally have to follow to keep themselves fit.
Same with drinking.
2006-11-23 13:41:27 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
PBS had a program about this, the human loses muscle mass, including heart muscle, as soon as there is no gravity.
Special exercises, using bungee cords and springs to simulate gravity have been developed for this reason.
2006-11-23 05:23:09 · answer #3 · answered by disco legend zeke 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think that conception would be faster in space. Since the partners are in a microgravity environment, the sperm would not be slowed down by gravity to "swim" to the mother's eggs
2016-03-12 21:42:07 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Haven't ever thought about it in that way to be honest
2016-08-08 19:58:56 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I was on Y Answers for something or other, but this question was trending on the sidebar...
2016-08-23 11:15:43 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋