When your body is effectively in “free fall”, accelerating downward at the acceleration of gravity , then you are not being supported. ... If the elevator cable breaks then both you and the elevator are in free fall.
Why do we feel lighter in an elevator?
If you stand on a scale in an elevator accelerating upward, you feel heavier because the elevator’s floor presses harder on your feet, and the scale will show a higher reading than when the elevator is at rest. On the other hand, when the elevator accelerates downward , you feel lighter.
Why do you get the feeling of weightlessness in an elevator going down?
Earth-orbiting astronauts are weightless for the same reasons that riders of a free-falling amusement park ride or a free-falling elevator are weightless. They are weightless because there is no external contact force pushing or pulling upon their body . ... The force of gravity is the only force acting upon their body.
Why do we feel weightless?
Astronauts feel weightless when there is nothing opposing the force of gravity . ... (B) An astronaut orbiting the Earth does feel weightless because there is no ground or normal force to counteract the force of gravity. Thus, the astronaut is falling.
Is it possible to feel weightlessness inside the lift?
When lift coming down with increasing velocity the acceleration of the frame is downward so the person in the elevator will experience a pseudo force acting upward . This pseudo force try to reduce Tha apparent weight,that’s why person feel weightlessness in lift.
Is normal force equal to gravity in an elevator?
The normal force is equal to your apparent weight . So, you actually feel a little heavier than usual when the elevator accelerates upward, and lighter than usual when the acceleration is down.
What would a scale read in a falling elevator?
The scale reads the Normal force , so it reports your weight as greater than it was at rest. The same two forces are at work as when the elevator was accelerating up. The scale will read the Normal force which is less than it was at rest.
Would you float in a free falling elevator?
You do not really float , you simply travel at the same speed as the elevator. Your feet are touching the floor of elevator applying a force to keep you upright.
When would you feel weightless in an elevator?
You Feel “Weightless” If the Elevator Cable Breaks
The phenomenon of “weightlessness” occurs when there is no force of support on your body . When your body is effectively in “free fall”, accelerating downward at the acceleration of gravity, then you are not being supported.
Does normal force change in an elevator?
When the elevator is accelerating, there is a net upward force from the acceleration as well as the normal force to counter gravity. The normal force generates an upward acceleration . When moving at a constant speed, there is no upward acceleration and the normal force acts only to counter gravity.
Can an astronaut fall to earth?
Unlike regular skydives, he would not plummet to the Earth immediately , for the same reason why the ISS does not fall to Earth: speed. ... This is because its horizontal speed is so incredible high that when it’s about to hit the Earth, the planet curves beneath it.
At what height do you become weightless?
Any object that is falling freely is weightless, no matter where it happens to be. This can be the International Space Station at a height of 200 miles , a NASA reduced-gravity airplane at a height of several thousand feet, a drop tower at several hundred feet, or you jumping off a chair at 3 feet.
Can objects be weightless?
There are no objects that are weightless . All objects have mass and take up space. Weight is the force of gravity acting on a body’s mass and is determined by multiplying the mass times the acceleration due to gravity, which on earth is −9.81m/s2 .
Why is the weight of a free falling body zero?
Every body on this earth is attracted by the gravitational pull of the earth . This happens because the normal reaction force exerted on the object in the lift is equal to zero, and normal force equals to mg, which in turn equals the weight of the object. ...
What would happen if you feel in an elevator?
You Could Be Lacerated If Enough Debris Collects On The Elevator Floor . Even if you lay on your back, equally distributing body weight in a crashing elevator, you could still be harmed. The crashing cabin may fill with broken parts and debris during the fall.
How does weightlessness occur?
The sensation of weightlessness, or zero gravity, happens when the effects of gravity are not felt . Technically speaking, gravity does exist everywhere in the universe because it is defined as the force that attracts two bodies to each other. But astronauts in space usually do not feel its effects.
