How strong is the micro-gravity on board the international space station?

Question

Are there any interesting effects of micro-gravity? Any experiments done, e.g. release a few foam balls and see if they drift to the center of the station?

Answer 1

They do experiments all the time. They see how flame burns (in a globe), how plants grow, how insects build, etc...

Foam balls wouldn't necesarily float to the center, there's no draw for them to go there. They would more likely be subject to drafts from the air system.

Answer 2

The strength of the micro-gravity depends on where you are within the Space Station. At the center of gravity, the effect must be zero, and it will increase as the cube of the distance away from that point.

The Space Station is too complex an environment for any worthwhile experiments in gravity. Such experiments can be done using dedicated satellites.

Answer 3

Basically, the micro-gravity is about 1 micro-g (1 millionth of Earth gravity). But there are vibrations that go up to 1 /1000 of g, even when the crew is not moving around.

Answer 4

Microgravity is the result of pull of the various objects around you; on the ISS, a lead battery will have more pull than an aluminum table, but both are pulling on you a little bit. If you're closer to the table, it's effect is stronger than the battery, and likewise - YOU have you're own varying gravitational field also.
I'm not aware of any experiments done, except one that was on Skylab - they had a mirror made out of inflatable mylar, to see how a space telescope would behave with a variable mirror.

Answer 5

Yes there has been many . There is no such thing as microgravity . The shuttle is still in the same gravity but it is falling at the same rate .

Answer 6

There will a greater attraction to the most massive object in the station.