It is often said that astronauts in orbit experience weightlessness because they are beyond the pull of Earth’s gravity. Is this statement correct? Explain.

Question

Want to see more full solutions like this?

Answer 1

Textbook Question

Chapter 12, Problem 1CQ

It is often said that astronauts in orbit experience weightlessness because they are beyond the pull of Earth’s gravity. Is this statement correct? Explain.

Expert Solution & Answer

To determine

Whether the given statement is correct or not.

Answer to Problem 1CQ

No, the force due to earth gravitational pull on an object is zero at infinite distance, the net force on the astronauts is zero.

Explanation of Solution

The astronaut in the orbit around the earth is under two forces that are gravitational force and centrifugal force. The gravitational force acts on the astronaut is due to the earth’s gravitational pull.

Due to the tangential velocity of the astronaut in orbit, the acceleration is in direction away from the earth. The centrifugal force due to this acceleration is also in direction away from the earth. Thus the astronaut in the orbit feels weightless because the centripetal force applied on the astronauts by earth’s gravitational force is balanced by the centrifugal force due to orbital velocity of the satellite.

Conclusion:

Therefore, the force due to earth gravitational pull on an object is zero at infinite distance, the net force on the astronauts is zero.

Want to see more full solutions like this?

Subscribe now to access step-by-step solutions to millions of textbook problems written by subject matter experts!

01:08

Students have asked these similar questions

Two resistors of resistances R1 and R2, with R2>R1, are connected to a voltage source with voltage V0. When the resistors are connected in series, the current is Is. When the resistors are connected in parallel, the current Ip from the source is equal to 10Is. Let r be the ratio R1/R2. Find r. I know you have to find the equations for V for both situations and relate them, I'm just struggling to do so. Please explain all steps, thank you.

Bheem and Ram, jump off either side of a bridge while holding opposite ends of a rope and swing back and forth under the bridge to save a child while avoiding a fire. Looking at the swing of just Bheem, we can approximate him as a simple pendulum with a period of motion of 5.59 s. How long is the pendulum ? When Bheem swings, he goes a full distance, from side to side, of 10.2 m. What is his maximum velocity? What is his maximum acceleration?

The position of a 0.300 kg object attached to a spring is described by x=0.271 m ⋅ cos(0.512π⋅rad/s ⋅t) (Assume t is in seconds.) Find the amplitude of the motion. Find the spring constant. Find the position of the object at t = 0.324 s. Find the object's velocity at t = 0.324 s.

Answer 2

Textbook Question

Chapter 12, Problem 1CQ

It is often said that astronauts in orbit experience weightlessness because they are beyond the pull of Earth’s gravity. Is this statement correct? Explain.

Expert Solution & Answer

To determine

Whether the given statement is correct or not.

Answer to Problem 1CQ

No, the force due to earth gravitational pull on an object is zero at infinite distance, the net force on the astronauts is zero.

Explanation of Solution

The astronaut in the orbit around the earth is under two forces that are gravitational force and centrifugal force. The gravitational force acts on the astronaut is due to the earth’s gravitational pull.

Due to the tangential velocity of the astronaut in orbit, the acceleration is in direction away from the earth. The centrifugal force due to this acceleration is also in direction away from the earth. Thus the astronaut in the orbit feels weightless because the centripetal force applied on the astronauts by earth’s gravitational force is balanced by the centrifugal force due to orbital velocity of the satellite.

Conclusion:

Therefore, the force due to earth gravitational pull on an object is zero at infinite distance, the net force on the astronauts is zero.

Want to see more full solutions like this?

Subscribe now to access step-by-step solutions to millions of textbook problems written by subject matter experts!

01:08

Answer 3

Textbook Question

Chapter 12, Problem 1CQ

It is often said that astronauts in orbit experience weightlessness because they are beyond the pull of Earth’s gravity. Is this statement correct? Explain.

Expert Solution & Answer

To determine

Whether the given statement is correct or not.

Answer to Problem 1CQ

No, the force due to earth gravitational pull on an object is zero at infinite distance, the net force on the astronauts is zero.

Explanation of Solution

The astronaut in the orbit around the earth is under two forces that are gravitational force and centrifugal force. The gravitational force acts on the astronaut is due to the earth’s gravitational pull.

Due to the tangential velocity of the astronaut in orbit, the acceleration is in direction away from the earth. The centrifugal force due to this acceleration is also in direction away from the earth. Thus the astronaut in the orbit feels weightless because the centripetal force applied on the astronauts by earth’s gravitational force is balanced by the centrifugal force due to orbital velocity of the satellite.

Conclusion:

Therefore, the force due to earth gravitational pull on an object is zero at infinite distance, the net force on the astronauts is zero.

Want to see more full solutions like this?

Subscribe now to access step-by-step solutions to millions of textbook problems written by subject matter experts!

01:08

Answer 4

Textbook Question

Chapter 12, Problem 1CQ

It is often said that astronauts in orbit experience weightlessness because they are beyond the pull of Earth’s gravity. Is this statement correct? Explain.

Expert Solution & Answer

To determine

Whether the given statement is correct or not.

Answer to Problem 1CQ

No, the force due to earth gravitational pull on an object is zero at infinite distance, the net force on the astronauts is zero.

Explanation of Solution

The astronaut in the orbit around the earth is under two forces that are gravitational force and centrifugal force. The gravitational force acts on the astronaut is due to the earth’s gravitational pull.

Due to the tangential velocity of the astronaut in orbit, the acceleration is in direction away from the earth. The centrifugal force due to this acceleration is also in direction away from the earth. Thus the astronaut in the orbit feels weightless because the centripetal force applied on the astronauts by earth’s gravitational force is balanced by the centrifugal force due to orbital velocity of the satellite.

Conclusion:

Therefore, the force due to earth gravitational pull on an object is zero at infinite distance, the net force on the astronauts is zero.

Want to see more full solutions like this?

Subscribe now to access step-by-step solutions to millions of textbook problems written by subject matter experts!

01:08

Answer 5

Textbook Question

Answer 6

Textbook Question

Answer 7

Expert Solution & Answer

To determine

Whether the given statement is correct or not.

Answer to Problem 1CQ

No, the force due to earth gravitational pull on an object is zero at infinite distance, the net force on the astronauts is zero.

Explanation of Solution

The astronaut in the orbit around the earth is under two forces that are gravitational force and centrifugal force. The gravitational force acts on the astronaut is due to the earth’s gravitational pull.

Due to the tangential velocity of the astronaut in orbit, the acceleration is in direction away from the earth. The centrifugal force due to this acceleration is also in direction away from the earth. Thus the astronaut in the orbit feels weightless because the centripetal force applied on the astronauts by earth’s gravitational force is balanced by the centrifugal force due to orbital velocity of the satellite.

Conclusion:

Therefore, the force due to earth gravitational pull on an object is zero at infinite distance, the net force on the astronauts is zero.

Answer 8

Expert Solution & Answer

To determine

Whether the given statement is correct or not.

Answer to Problem 1CQ

No, the force due to earth gravitational pull on an object is zero at infinite distance, the net force on the astronauts is zero.

Explanation of Solution

The astronaut in the orbit around the earth is under two forces that are gravitational force and centrifugal force. The gravitational force acts on the astronaut is due to the earth’s gravitational pull.

Due to the tangential velocity of the astronaut in orbit, the acceleration is in direction away from the earth. The centrifugal force due to this acceleration is also in direction away from the earth. Thus the astronaut in the orbit feels weightless because the centripetal force applied on the astronauts by earth’s gravitational force is balanced by the centrifugal force due to orbital velocity of the satellite.

Conclusion:

Therefore, the force due to earth gravitational pull on an object is zero at infinite distance, the net force on the astronauts is zero.

Answer 9

Expert Solution & Answer

Answer 10

Expert Solution & Answer

Answer 11

To determine

Whether the given statement is correct or not.

Answer 12

Answer to Problem 1CQ

No, the force due to earth gravitational pull on an object is zero at infinite distance, the net force on the astronauts is zero.

Answer 13

Explanation of Solution

The astronaut in the orbit around the earth is under two forces that are gravitational force and centrifugal force. The gravitational force acts on the astronaut is due to the earth’s gravitational pull.

Due to the tangential velocity of the astronaut in orbit, the acceleration is in direction away from the earth. The centrifugal force due to this acceleration is also in direction away from the earth. Thus the astronaut in the orbit feels weightless because the centripetal force applied on the astronauts by earth’s gravitational force is balanced by the centrifugal force due to orbital velocity of the satellite.

Conclusion:

Therefore, the force due to earth gravitational pull on an object is zero at infinite distance, the net force on the astronauts is zero.