The definition of weight is the force with which an object is pulled toward the center of the earth.
This force will be present on the body whether it is freely falling or not.
But what we actually sense as weight is not this downward force, but the Normal force exerted by the surface we stand on, which opposes this gravitational force (weight).
This Normal force prevents us from falling toward the center of earth.
This normal force is sometimes called as ‘apparent weight’.
When objects are freely falling toward the center of earth, this apparent weight is zero. We feel as if we have lost weight; as if we have lost the apparent weight.
Strictly speaking, we should not say that the object is weightless; however, if one says that it is weightless, we must take it as, ‘it has no apparent weight’.
2006-12-10 02:39:57
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answer #1
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answered by Pearlsawme 7
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Gravity does not "push" anything. Instead, mass distorts space, and this is called gravity.
If I put a rock in the middle of a bedsheet stretched tight between four people, the rock would cause a dimple in the middle of the sheet. If you roll a ball accross the sheet, it will "fall" into the distortion where the rock is. So also with a falling object. The center of the Earth is the center of the distorion caused by the Earth's mass, so a falling object moves towards it until it hits something, in this case the surface of the planet.
The object is not "weightless" but if it were a person, say, doing a parachute jump and before he or she pulls the ripcord and opens the chute, that person would experience a sensation of weightlessness.
When NASA trains astronauts they fly them up in a modified jetliner, and put the jet into a dive to simulate weightlessness. That's called a "microgravity environment."
2006-12-09 18:22:10
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answer #2
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answered by Lioness 2
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Yes, it would be weightless. Weight is equal to the normal force being exerted on the object by whatever it's resting on. If it's not resting on anything, it would be weightless.
Example. Everybody knows that astronauts are weightless in outerspace right? but they wouldn't orbit the earth if they weren't trapped in the Earth's gravity field. They are in fact in state of perpetual free fall, they just keep missing the Earth.
2006-12-09 18:23:43
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answer #3
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answered by Anonymous
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No, it is simply unsupported.
Weight, unlike mass, is a relative concept. It is the measure of the difference between gravitational pull and opposing forces. True weightlessness, as stated above, would cause an object to float. A falling object has insufficient opposing forces to float.
2006-12-09 18:21:54
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answer #4
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answered by dave 5
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Weight is a force, and in order for a force to be felt it must be opposed. You can measure the acceleration without opposing an object's motion, and you can "estimate" the weight it would have in a given gravitational field by making guesses about its volume and average density. That's an inferential method though.
2006-12-09 18:12:36
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answer #5
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answered by Anonymous
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For this equation you will possibly use the kinematics equation that omits time: V^2 = Vi^2+2ax right here, V is the surprising velocity, Vi is the preliminary velocity, a is the acceleration, and x is the gap. you may set Vi = 0, because of fact it replaced into dropped from relax, a = 9.80 one m/s^2 (acceleration because of gravity close to earth's floor), and x is the 4.27, for that reason: V = sqrt(2*9.80 one*4.27)
2016-10-14 09:24:27
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answer #6
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answered by ? 4
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no it is just being pushed down by gravity. its like trying putting your arms up as if you will look like your forming a letter T, then does that mean if you get tired your arms are weightless? NOO, its just gravity pushing you down.
2006-12-09 18:08:50
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answer #7
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answered by Anonymous
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If it were "weightless" it would float not fall.
2006-12-09 18:09:53
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answer #8
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answered by Haven17 5
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Wieght is a result of gravity. Until gravity is removed, anything with mass will have weight.
2006-12-09 18:16:50
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answer #9
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answered by C W 2
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yes it is going to expierence weightlessness.
2006-12-09 20:27:04
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answer #10
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answered by zero 2
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