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chaszz
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Einstein said one his happiest realizations was that a person in free fall would feel no weight. Unless I am mistaken he said this. But didn't Newton realize this?
What forces are canceled out? In Newtonian physics there is no cancelation of forces for an object in free fall. There is only one force acting on such an object, and that force is gravity.Viracocha said:You wouldn't actually be weightless in a freefall, but you would feel like it because the forces are canceled out.
Free fall weightlessness is a phenomenon experienced by an object or person when they are falling towards the Earth without any external forces acting upon them. This creates a feeling of weightlessness because there is no force pushing back against the object's weight.
In free fall weightlessness, an object is still within the Earth's gravitational field and is accelerating towards the surface, while in space, an object is in a state of constant motion at a certain velocity. Additionally, in free fall, an object is subject to atmospheric drag and will eventually hit the ground, while in space, there is no atmosphere to slow an object down.
Astronauts experience free fall weightlessness in space because they are constantly falling towards the Earth, but their horizontal velocity is fast enough that they keep missing the Earth. This creates a state of perpetual free fall, giving the sensation of weightlessness.
Yes, free fall weightlessness can be simulated on Earth through parabolic flights, where an aircraft follows a parabolic path and creates brief periods of weightlessness for passengers on board. This is also how astronauts train for the feeling of weightlessness before going to space.
Although it may feel like a fun and weightless experience, free fall weightlessness can actually have negative effects on the body, such as dizziness, disorientation, and nausea. This is because our bodies are used to the constant force of gravity and can become confused when that force is suddenly removed.