2007-09-26 08:46:11 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
As the astronaut is further from the earth than he is at ground level the pull of gravity will be reduced.
Gravity obeys the inverse square law, which basically means that if you double the distance you go from earth you quarter the force of gravity that attracts you.
Exactly the same rule applies to magnetic force. You can demonstrate [and measure the force] by moving an object away from a magnet by pulling it with a spring balance across a flat worktop.
2007-09-26 08:50:25 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It depends on where the astronaut is. If he/she is in earth orbit, then the pull of gravity is almost as strong as it would be on the earth's surface because the distance from the earth's centre is almost the same. The astronaut might not FEEL anything, and might float around in the space capsule, but this is simply because he/she is actually falling freely while moving fast enough to stay in orbit. The astronaut is "weightless", but certainly not free of the earth's gravity.
If, on the other hand, the astronaut was near the moon, which is about 250,000 miles away (or about 60 times as far from the earth's centre than someone on the earth's surface), then the pull from earth would be 1/(60*60) = 1/3600 as much. This is very much less... but it's not zero.
2007-09-26 16:02:19 · answer #2 · answered by Yokki 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It depends on where the astronaut is. If the astronaut is standing on the earth - they experience a force of anywhere from 150-220 pounds, depending on their size.
During liftoff - they experience multiple "G"s - but not due to gravity - due to accelleration of the spaceship.
If you are talking about an astronaut in orbit with the shuttle or space station - the gravity is not so weak. However, the astronauts are "weightless" because they are moving at the same rate as their space ship - gravity is not pulling them against the floor. The gravity is not weak, however, the gravity is keeping them in orbit - as they fly really fast over the surface of the earth. They keep falling closer to the earth - but their sideways velocity keeps them moving away from the earth tangentially - if the two are perfectly balanced - they just keep orbiting around the earth.
If you are talking about an astronaut on the moon - the are close to the moon - and standing on the surface - so they feel the surface of the moon pushing against their weight - which is only one sixth that on earth because the moon is smaller and has less gravity. They are still affected by earth's gravity, however, in that they are kept in orbit around the earth along with the moon.
If you are talking about an astronaut in a spaceship on the way to the moon or Mars - and the spaceship is just coasting without its engines accelerating it - then they are under the influence of gravitational pull by the sun, planets, moon, earth - but they seem weightless because they are moving the same speed as the spaceship - and they just float along with the same speed - so it seems like everything in the spaceship just floats along.
2007-09-26 16:01:56 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is not weak.
Almost as stong as on surface of Earth.
Weightlessness does not mean zero pull of gravity.
2007-09-26 15:53:07 · answer #4 · answered by Alexander 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Using Newton's Law of Gravitation
F= -GmM/r^2
The force falls off as 1/r^2. Graph 1/r^2 to get an idea of just how quickly this falls off.
2007-09-26 15:53:25 · answer #5 · answered by kinger7102 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is not any weaker than it would be . Here on earth a body will accelerate 33 ft. per second/per second. That is 33 ft the first second and 66 the second
2007-09-26 15:52:40 · answer #6 · answered by JOHNNIE B 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋