assume i'm in space and staying motionless, is it possible to get myself moving just by swinging my arm forward really hard? because i'm sitting on my bed right now and try to do so and it seems my body does go back alittle.
2007-05-30 10:08:56 · 5 answers · asked by 7 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
Are you in a vacuum? If so then you will not move. You need something to push against in order to move. If you are floating inside the space capsule but are not in contact with anything but air then waving your arms will cause you to have some movement because you are pushing off of the air. Don't expect to take off like you are swimming in water though.
2007-05-30 10:13:50 · answer #1 · answered by A.Mercer 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
If you swing your arm forward, your body will counter rotate a little. But then your arm stops and your body stops moving.
If you want to get around in space using your arm, you'll have to rip it off and throw it. Now in accordance with conservation of momentum, THAT would cause you to move.
2007-05-30 17:19:54 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
No. Space is a vaccum. The only way that you can move in space is a driving force, such as a rocket engine or a booster. Now if you had a bottle of compressed are and opened the valve it would move you.
2007-05-30 17:28:07 · answer #3 · answered by golden rider 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You could make yourself rotate around an axis by moving your limbs like that, but you wouldn't be able to give yourself forward momentum. You would have to be acted upon by an outside force for that.
2007-05-30 17:14:27 · answer #4 · answered by JLynes 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
No, it won't work.
Newton's third law makes it clear "For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction."
If you could throw something away from your body then your body would move due to the reaction.
2007-05-30 17:14:45 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋