Is mass of astronaut in space shuttle equal to zero? If no, then how can it be meausured?

Answer 1

Funky question

The mass is the same mass represents quantity of matter so it basically is the same no mater where it is or at what forces is it subjugated so if it is in earth subjugated to gravity the mass will be the same has if it was in space, without gravity. For normal mater one can view has the sum of the mass of its elementary particles so the sum of all the mass of the protons plus the mass of all the electrons (each electron has approximately 1/1836 the mass of the proton) plus the mass of the neutrons that are in this mass one is talking about (the mass a neutron is rightly equal to the mass of proton + mass of electrons).

Now how to really measure it, I am proposing 5 ways that should give according to the physics today the same result if they don’t it’s a discovery the initial and gravitic mass are the same this has been proven with a precision of 1 in 1e17.

1) Mass by comparison:
In deep space let the astronaut old a mass that you know a reference mass, and then let him shoot the mass and afterwards measure the velocity of both the reference mass and of your astronaut (velocity in relation to the initial observer evidently) by momentum conservation:

M (astronaut)=m(reference)*[v(reference)/v(astronaut)]
If you wan’t you can also put the astronaut measuring the velocity, I think you can do it, but its more complicated, I design a experience with two reference masses you shoot one and measure the velocity then you shoot the second one (m2) and you measure the velocity on the other side in such a way that the astronaut is in rest in order to the first one, even in this particular case the calculus are complicated the result is
Niu=m2*(v(2/a))/v(1/a) in which niu is the reduced mass:

Niu =m1*Ma/(m1+Ma),

In which the velocities are always measured in the astronaut referential after the event. Other similar stuff is possible but the reference mass is always necessary.

2) inertial mass, with a certain force that you now F make your mass move during a measurable time interval delta_t, so your mass will move and adquire a certain velocity that you measure so lets see,
The integral of the force versus time will give you your variation in momentum the impulsion, (consider the mass in rest at your referential initially)
So your momentum will be:

P=int(Fdt)=mv so your mass will be
m=int(Fdt)/v remember that for a constant force one has int(Fdt)=F*delta_t
for a spring one has int(Fdt)=1/2*Fmax*delta_t=1/2*k*(max deformation of the spring)

So for an astronaut inside a space station one has just to attach a spring to a wall and make your astronaut compress at the same time he’s attached to a break the deformation is registered and let the astronaut let go of the break he has to be attached to the spring until the time it is in it’s equilibrium point (where the spring has a maximum velocity) measure in that way the force imediatlly measure the velocity. Do the mass calculations afterwards. It's the equivalent of what ze said in ze case the angular frequency is sqrt(k/m), cosidering the spring has no mass. in which k is the spring constant.


3) The gravitational mass this you have to know the Newton’s gravity law and its constant first measured by Cavendish:

In your case the most simpler would be to get a space station and to measure the acceleration (measured in a neutral referential) that the space station approach the astronaut the acceleration would be given by a=M(astronaut)*G/(distance astronaut spaceship)^2 by measuring this quantities you would find the astronaut mass for a measure with the astronaut reference you would also have to know the mass of the spaceship.
Other way is to imagine that you have a space station perfectly cylindrical and in the hat of both cylinders you put two masses (half the astronaut would be fine in each one :p) attached to a spring the force is measured by the spring and from there you find the mass (the force would be the same 3 law of Newton)

M=sqrt(F.G)

Attention the masses in 3 and in 1 or 2 have a different understanding in 3 is the gravity that your considering the gravity mass (bodies attract them self in proportion of the product of masses and to the inverse of the square of the distance), in 1 and 2 is the inertial mass (capacity of mass to move when different forces are applied)

4) In the time I wrote this some other ideas got into my mind
You get the astronaut in deep space again with a laser same principal has the 1 example but know is the laser that gives the momentum difference let the astronaut turn on the laser and let you measure the acceleration, the laser momentum is given by its output energy that measures its photons multiplied by the quantity h/lambda h is the plank constant and the lambda is the wavelength. It’s a cool way and with the available technology is probably the best we can do we can measure the energy almost until the photon and the wavelength with a precision of 1in 1e15

5) If you had the technology you could measure how much protons, how much neutrons how much electrons the astronaut had it would give you a measure very precisely independent of everything else and if you check this concept of mass with the gravity mass and the inertial one it would be pretty funny if it didn’t check out it would be a revolution.
One does not have the technology to do this the best we can do with mass is 1e-8 I think not too sure.

I hope I helped just tell me if anything else I need to explain.

Answer 2

Mass is a phenomenon related to inertia. In fact, what we call mass is really inertial mass. Why mass has inertia is yet to be agreed on, but something called the Higgs Field has been posited as to why mass keeps going when going and keeps still when not.

In any case, mass always has some non-negative value no matter where it is and how many forces are acting on it. Thus, to answer your question, mass is never never zero; and that's true of astronauts as well.

If you know a mass M (e.g., 50 kg) and want to find the astronaut's mass m, simply set up a balance beam. Then put the astronaut on one end and the known mass on the other so that the balance beam is balanced. Measure the distance L from the pivot point for mass m and the distance l from the pivot point for mass M. When the beam is balanced,we have M X l = m X L; so that m = (l/L) M and you can find the mass of the astronaut.

PS: Ooops, did you mean zero gravity? Missed that if you were implying g = 0. Of course, the balance beam wouldn't work with g = 0 because there would be no gravitational forces on either end to balance out the beam.

Measuring the AN's mass is rather easy. Put him on his bunk bed, pull down on the bed a measured distance delX with a measured force F and let go of the bed. The astronaut of mass m will fly out of the bed with velocity v = h/T; where h is the distance between the bed and the ceiling of the spaceship and T is the number of seconds it takes for the AN to reach the ceiling.

The work put into the AN when releasing the bunk bed is WE = F delX = k delX^2 and all that is converted to kinetic energy KE = 1/2 mv^2. Thus, F delX = 1/2 mv^2 so we solve for m = 2F delX/v^2 = 2F delX/(h/T)^2 and everyhing on the RHS is measured. Spring fish scale (or similar device) can be used to measure the force F used to depress the bunk bed delX.

Caution, as there is no gravity, there is no need to make delX very big. A nice slow velocity off the bunk bed will be safer and easier to measure since the time to impact with the ceiling at height h would be longer. The good news, is that v = constant since there is nothing to slow the AN down.

Answer 3

Interesting question. The astronauts mass in the space shuttle is not zero. A device for measuring the astronaut's mass would have to be pretty clever. On possible way I can think of is this: Secure an elastic cord to the astronaut. stretch the cord so that its tension produces a force. Measure the astronaut's acceleration. Then use the equation m = F/a. I don't know what kinds of instruments you'd need to use to measure the force and the acceleration.

Answer 4

No. Mass Never Changes No matter What Planet You Are On.

Weight Is The Mass Multiplied By The Gravitational Field Strength ( On Earth 9.8N ) If The Gravitational Field Strength Reaches 0 ( Also Known as 0G ) Then The Weight = 0 ( Because Anything Times 0 Would equal 0 ) But The Mass Is Still The Same.

Answer 5

They measure the mass of astronauts by putting them in a chair on a rail, and it can move back & forth. Just as with a mass on a spring, the time period of the oscillation depends on the mass (not weight) of the (astronaut + chair). Measure the time period, find the mass.

Answer 6

the area commute whilst it replaced into nevertheless working, landed in the international merely like a common plane and the Astronauts walked down stairs merely like a common plane. the area commute never left earth orbit. replaced into no longer designed to flow to the moon or different planets. for the period of launch on the Cape, the noise isn't that super. for the period of landing attitude the commute does ruin the sound barrier whilst it re-enters earths air, even regardless of the undeniable fact that it is so severe up, no effects are felt on the floor. All area Shuttles have been positioned out of service. Too previous and too high priced to maintain working.

Answer 7

Mass is always the same. Weight changes depending on the acceleration of a body. Astronauts are therefor nearly weightless, not massless.

Answer 8

No. The explaination is complex. check mass in wikipedia.

Mass is a fundamental concept in physics, roughly corresponding to the intuitive idea of "how much matter there is in an object". Mass is a central concept of classical mechanics and related subjects, and there are several definitions of mass within the framework of relativistic kinematics (see mass in special relativity and mass in General Relativity). In the theory of relativity, the quantity invariant mass, which in concept is close to the classical idea of mass, does not vary between single observers in different reference frames.

Answer 9

An astronaut's mass should not change significantly from takeoff to landing.

Answer 10

figure the mass in space by the same formulas that you figure mass on earth. gravity doesnt effect mass calculations.