In free fall, gravity acts on the body, but the sensation of weightlessness occurs because no contact forces are present, allowing the body to travel along a geodesic in spacetime, as explained by General Relativity. Unlike standing on the ground, where the normal force creates internal stresses, free fall eliminates these stresses, resulting in a lack of sensation. The absence of contact forces can cause a brief period of adjustment, similar to the feeling experienced during a roller coaster drop. This adjustment period may lead to feelings of queasiness, particularly for astronauts who must acclimate to weightlessness. Overall, the experience of weightlessness in free fall is a complex interplay of gravitational forces and the absence of contact forces.
