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mee
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Is angular momentum a push and gravity a pull? I just thought there might be unforseen differences in human reaction on a spinning space station.
arildno said:On a spinning space station far away from hugely massive celestial bodies, gravity can be neglected as a force.
You will be pushed outwards towards the outer shell of the station by the centrifugal force (a pseudo-force); the normal force from the shell will keep you in place.
In effect therefore, it is the centrifugal force which will play the role of gravity.
The most apparent discrepancy between life-on-earth and life-on-space-station will probably be effects from the Coriolis force (another pseudo-force)
arildno said:Since "angular momentum" in this context doesn't make much sense, try to elaborate on what you meant.
mee said:I have been told emphatically that there is no such force as centrifugal force and to use the phrase angular momentum when referring to what it referrs. Centifugal force then. Centrifugal force seems like a pushing force and gravity seems like a pulling force. Would there be any subtle differences on physiology in a spinning space station if one is being "pushed" rather than pulled. like the space station in 2001.
Gravity is a force that exists between any two objects with mass. It is responsible for keeping objects in orbit around larger bodies, such as planets around a star, and for the falling of objects towards the ground.
Gravity causes objects to accelerate towards each other. The amount of acceleration is dependent on the mass and distance between the objects. The larger the mass of an object, the stronger its gravitational pull will be.
Angular momentum is a measure of an object's rotational motion. It is calculated by multiplying an object's moment of inertia (a measure of its resistance to rotation) by its angular velocity (the rate at which it is rotating).
Angular momentum is related to gravity in the sense that the gravitational force between two objects can cause them to rotate around each other. This rotation creates angular momentum, which is conserved as long as there is no external torque acting on the system.
Angular momentum is important in space exploration because it allows spacecraft to change their orbits and travel to different destinations in the solar system. By manipulating their angular momentum, spacecraft can use the gravitational forces of planets and other objects to propel themselves to their desired locations.