Say we have a huge empty space in which there is no gravity, and we put a man there, with his eyes covered, in any potinion. He is just floating around, and we tell him to go up. How does he know which way is up?
2006-12-26 22:18:33 · 11 answers · asked by Maddy 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
this is all about frame of reference. there is no definite frame of reference so there is no definite up or down.
what is up for one may be left for another.
all depends on your frame of reference. :)
2006-12-27 14:41:56 · answer #1 · answered by philosopher 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you are placing the man in empty space, THERE IS NO UP OR DOWN.
Since u r considering negligible gravity it must be deep into space, where does the question of UP OR DOWN ARISE??
Space spots are marked by vector coordinates on 3-D.
there is no up and down.
but for your question the man (blindfolded) will definitelt not know which direction he is floating
2006-12-26 22:29:16 · answer #2 · answered by Som™ 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Without gravity, there is no "up" or "down". On Earth, surveyors us a weight on the end of a string (plumb bob) to determine exactly which direction is down. Up and down really don't matter if there is no gravity. Directions can be determined by positions of known celestial bodies.
2006-12-26 23:31:21 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Down is "toward the center of the Earth" and up is "away from the center of the Earth." If his eyes are uncovered, he could tell which way is up, but with his eyes uncovered, he can't know.
2006-12-27 02:17:40 · answer #4 · answered by Egghead 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you mean up in relation to an external reference he wouldn't know. He has no sensory input allowing him to determine up or down.
However, we do have a sense called proprioception which allows us to determine where parts of our body are in relation to each other. He would still therefore be able to point to his own head which is for most people where up is.
2006-12-27 02:27:31 · answer #5 · answered by DazerUK 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Without gravity there is no such think as up or down. Up and down are defined by gravity.
2006-12-27 01:07:14 · answer #6 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He wouldn't know.
That's one of the causes of space sickness for the astronauts in their first flight.
Later on he will get clues from the surrounding objects.
2006-12-26 23:05:34 · answer #7 · answered by PragmaticAlien 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Nope, he will have no idea which way is actually up. It's like when you go on one of those rides that spins around really really fast so that you get stuck to the walls. you think that "up" is straight in front of you, as if you were lying on the ground, however in reality, up is straight above your head.
2006-12-26 22:30:01 · answer #8 · answered by Matt 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
HE DOESN'T...put a woman in there with him under the same circumstances. She will tell him which way is up!!! Even if it is wrong, he will believe it!!
2006-12-26 22:19:58 · answer #9 · answered by georgiaporchmonkey 1 · 2⤊ 2⤋
No matter what position he's in if he goes up then that's up.
2006-12-26 22:21:19 · answer #10 · answered by addict for dramatic 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋