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CircularMotionandSatelliteMotionLesson4PlanetaryandSatelliteMotion

WeightlessnessinOrbit
Kepler'sThreeLaws
CircularMotionPrinciplesforSatellites
MathematicsofSatelliteMotion
WeightlessnessinOrbit
EnergyRelationshipsforSatellites

AstronautswhoareorbitingtheEarthoftenexperiencesensationsofweightlessness.Thesesensations
experiencedbyorbitingastronautsarethesamesensationsexperiencedbyanyonewhohasbeen
temporarilysuspendedabovetheseatonanamusementparkride.Notonlyarethesensationsthe
same(forastronautsandrollercoasterriders),butthecausesofthosesensationsofweightlessnessare
alsothesame.Unfortunatelyhowever,manypeoplehavedifficultyunderstandingthecausesof
weightlessness.

WhatDoYouBelieve?
Thecauseofweightlessnessisquitesimpletounderstand.However,thestubbornnessofone's
preconceptionsonthetopicoftenstandinthewayofone'sabilitytounderstand.Considerthefollowing
multiplechoicequestionaboutweightlessnessasatestofyourpreconceivednotionsonthetopic:
Testyourpreconceivednotionsaboutweightlessness:
Astronautsontheorbitingspacestationare weightlessbecause...
a.thereisnogravityinspaceandtheydonotweighanything.
b.spaceisavacuumandthereisnogravityinavacuum.
c.spaceisavacuumandthereisnoairresistanceinavacuum.
d.theastronautsarefarfromEarth'ssurfaceatalocationwheregravitationhasaminimal
effect.

SeeAnswer

Ifyoubelieveinanyoneoftheabovestatements,thenitmighttakealittlerearrangementand
remappingofyourbraintounderstandtherealcauseofweightlessness.Asisthecaseonmanytopics
inPhysics,someunlearningmustfirstbedonebeforedoingthelearning.Putanotherway:it'snotwhat
youdon'tknowthatmakeslearningphysicsadifficulttaskit'swhatyoudoknowthatmakeslearning
physicsadifficulttask.Soifyoudohaveapreconception(orastrongpreconception)aboutwhat
weightlessnessis,youneedtobeawareofthatpreconceivedidea.Andasyouconsiderthefollowing
alternativeconceptionaboutthemeaningofweightlessness,evaluatethereasonablenessandlogicof
thetwocompetingideas.

ContactversusNonContactForces
Beforeunderstandingweightlessness,wewillhavetoreviewtwocategoriesofforcescontact
forcesandactionatadistanceforces.Asyousitinachair,youexperiencetwoforcestheforce
oftheEarth'sgravitationalfieldpullingyoudownwardtowardtheEarthandtheforceofthechair
pushingyouupward.Theupwardchairforceissometimesreferredtoasanormalforceandresults
fromthecontactbetweenthechairtopandyourbottomend.Thisnormalforceiscategorizedasa
contactforce.Contactforcescanonlyresultfromtheactualtouchingofthetwointeractingobjectsin
thiscase,thechairandyou.Theforceofgravityactinguponyourbodyisnotacontactforceitisoften
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categorizedasanactionatadistanceforce.Theforceofgravityistheresultofyourcenterofmass
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andtheEarth'scenterofmassexertingamutualpulloneach
otherthisforcewouldevenexistifyouwerenotincontactwith
theEarth.Theforceofgravitydoesnotrequirethatthetwo
interactingobjects(yourbodyandtheEarth)makephysical
contactitcanactoveradistancethroughspace.Sincetheforce
ofgravityisnotacontactforce,itcannotbefeltthroughcontact.
Youcanneverfeeltheforceofgravitypullinguponyourbodyin
thesamewaythatyouwouldfeelacontactforce.Ifyouslide
acrosstheasphalttenniscourt(notrecommended),youwould
feeltheforceoffriction(acontactforce).Ifyouarepushedbya
bullyinthehallway,youwouldfeeltheappliedforce(acontact
force).Ifyouswungfromaropeingymclass,youwouldfeelthe
tensionforce(acontactforce).Ifyousitinyourchair,youfeel
thenormalforce(acontactforce).Butifyouarejumpingona
trampoline,evenwhilemovingthroughtheair,youdonotfeel
theEarthpullinguponyouwithaforceofgravity(anactionatadistanceforce).Theforceofgravity
canneverbefelt.Yetthoseforcesthatresultfromcontactcanbefelt.Andinthecaseofsittinginyour
chair,youcanfeelthechairforceanditisthisforcethatprovidesyouwithasensationofweight.Since
theupwardnormalforcewouldequalthedownwardforceofgravitywhenatrest,thestrengthofthis
normalforcegivesoneameasureoftheamountofgravitationalpull.Iftherewerenoupwardnormal
forceactinguponyourbody,youwouldnothaveanysensationofyourweight.Withoutthecontact
force(thenormalforce),thereisnomeansoffeelingthenoncontactforce(theforceofgravity).

MeaningandCauseofWeightlessness
Weightlessnessissimplyasensationexperiencedbyanindividualwhentherearenoexternalobjects
touchingone'sbodyandexertingapushorpulluponit.Weightlesssensationsexistwhenallcontact
forcesareremoved.Thesesensationsarecommontoanysituationinwhichyouaremomentarily(or
perpetually)inastateoffreefall.Wheninfreefall,theonlyforceactinguponyourbodyistheforceof
gravityanoncontactforce.Sincetheforceofgravitycannotbefeltwithoutanyotheropposing
forces,youwouldhavenosensationofit.Youwouldfeelweightlesswheninastateoffreefall.
Thesefeelingsofweightlessnessarecommonatamusementparksforridersofrollercoastersandother
ridesinwhichridersaremomentarilyairborneandliftedoutoftheirseats.Supposethatyouwerelifted
inyourchairtothetopofaveryhightowerandthenyourchairwas
suddenlydropped.Asyouandyourchairfalltowardstheground,you
bothaccelerateatthesamerateg.Sincethechairisunstable,falling
atthesamerateasyou,itisunabletopushuponyou.Normalforces
onlyresultfromcontactwithstable,supportingsurfaces.Theforceof
gravityistheonlyforceactinguponyourbody.Therearenoexternal
objectstouchingyourbodyandexertingaforce.Assuch,youwould
experienceaweightlesssensation.Youwouldweighasmuchasyou
alwaysdo(oraslittle)yetyouwouldnothaveanysensationofthis
weight.
Weightlessnessisonlyasensationitisnotarealitycorrespondingto
anindividualwhohaslostweight.Asyouarefreefallingonaroller
coasterride(orotheramusementparkride),youhavenotmomentarily
lostyourweight.Weightlessnesshasverylittletodowithweightandmostlytodowiththepresenceor
absenceofcontactforces.Ifby"weight"wearereferringtotheforceofgravitationalattractiontothe
Earth,afreefallingpersonhasnot"losttheirweight"theyarestillexperiencingtheEarth's
gravitationalattraction.Unfortunately,theconfusionofaperson'sactualweightwithone'sfeelingof
weightisthesourceofmanymisconceptions.

ScaleReadingsandWeight
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Technicallyspeaking,ascaledoesnotmeasureone'sweight.Whileweuseascaletomeasureone's
weight,thescalereadingisactuallyameasureoftheupwardforceappliedby
thescaletobalancethedownwardforceofgravityactinguponanobject.When
anobjectisinastateofequilibrium(eitheratrestorinmotionatconstant
speed),thesetwoforcesarebalanced.Theupwardforceofthescaleuponthe
personequalsthedownwardpullofgravity(alsoknownasweight).Andinthis
instance,thescalereading(thatisameasureoftheupwardforce)equalsthe
weightoftheperson.However,ifyoustandonthescaleandbounceupand
down,thescalereadingundergoesarapidchange.Asyouundergothis
bouncingmotion,yourbodyisaccelerating.Duringtheaccelerationperiods,the
upwardforceofthescaleischanging.Andassuch,thescalereadingis
changing.Isyourweightchanging?Absolutelynot!Youweighasmuch(oras
little)asyoualwaysdo.Thescalereadingischanging,butremember:theSCALE
DOESNOTMEASUREYOURWEIGHT.Thescaleisonlymeasuringtheexternal
contactforcethatisbeingappliedtoyourbody.
NowconsiderOtisL.Evaderzwhoisconductingoneofhisfamouselevatorexperiments.Hestandsona
bathroomscaleandridesanelevatorupanddown.Asheisacceleratingupwardanddownward,the
scalereadingisdifferentthanwhenheisatrestandtravelingatconstantspeed.Whenheis
accelerating,theupwardanddownwardforcesarenotequal.Butwhenheisatrestormovingat
constantspeed,theopposingforcesbalanceeachother.Knowingthatthescalereadingisameasureof
theupwardnormalforceofthescaleuponhisbody,itsvaluecouldbepredictedforvariousstagesof
motion.Forinstance,thevalueofthenormalforce(Fnorm)onOtis's80kgbodycouldbepredictedifthe
accelerationisknown.ThispredictioncanbemadebysimplyapplyingNewton'ssecondlawas
discussedinUnit2.AsanillustrationoftheuseofNewton'ssecondlawtodeterminethevarying
contactforcesonanelevatorride,considerthefollowingdiagram.Inthediagram,Otis's80kgis
travelingwithconstantspeed(A),acceleratingupward(B),acceleratingdownward(C),andfreefalling
(D)aftertheelevatorcablesnaps.

Ineachofthesecases,theupwardcontactforce(Fnorm)canbedeterminedusingafreebodydiagram
andNewton'ssecondlaw.Theinteractionofthetwoforcestheupwardnormalforceandthe
downwardforceofgravitycanbethoughtofasatugofwar.Thenetforceactingupontheperson
indicateswhowinsthetugofwar(theupforceorthedownforce)andbyhowmuch.Anetforce
of100N,upindicatesthattheupwardforce"wins"byanamountequalto100N.Thegravitational
forceactingupontheriderisfoundusingtheequationFgrav=m*g.
StageB
StageA
StageC StageD

Fnet=m*a Fnet=m*a Fnet=m*a Fnet=m*a

Fnet=0N Fnet=400N,up Fnet=400N,down Fnet=784N,down
FnormequalsFgrav Fnorm>Fgravby400N Fnorm<Fgravby400N Fnorm<Fgravby784N
Fnorm=784N Fnorm=1184N Fnorm=384N Fnorm=0N
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Thenormalforceisgreaterthantheforceofgravitywhenthereisanupwardacceleration(B),lessthan
theforceofgravitywhenthereisadownwardacceleration(CandD),andequaltotheforceofgravity
whenthereisnoacceleration(A).Sinceitisthenormalforcethatprovidesasensationofone'sweight,
theelevatorriderwouldfeelhisnormalweightincaseA,morethanhisnormalweightincaseB,and
lessthanhisnormalweightincaseC.IncaseD,theelevatorriderwouldfeelabsolutelyweightless
withoutanexternalcontactforce,hewouldhavenosensationofhisweight.Inallfourcases,the
elevatorriderweighsthesameamount784N.Yettherider'ssensationofhisweightisfluctuating
throughouttheelevatorride.

WeightlessnessinOrbit
Earthorbitingastronautsareweightlessforthesamereasonsthatridersofafreefallingamusement
parkrideorafreefallingelevatorareweightless.Theyareweightlessbecausethereisnoexternal
contactforcepushingorpullingupontheirbody.Ineachcase,gravityistheonlyforceactingupontheir
body.Beinganactionatadistanceforce,itcannotbefeltandthereforewouldnotprovideany
sensationoftheirweight.Butforcertain,theorbitingastronautsweighsomethingthatis,thereisa
forceofgravityactingupontheirbody.Infact,ifitwerenotfortheforceofgravity,theastronauts
wouldnotbeorbitingincircularmotion.Itistheforceofgravitythatsuppliesthecentripetalforce
requirementtoallowtheinwardaccelerationthatischaracteristicofcircularmotion.Theforceofgravity
istheonlyforceactingupontheirbody.Theastronautsareinfreefall.Likethefallingamusementpark
riderandthefallingelevatorrider,theastronautsandtheirsurroundingsarefallingtowardstheEarth
underthesoleinfluenceofgravity.Theastronautsandalltheirsurroundingsthespacestationwithits
contentsarefallingtowardstheEarthwithoutcollidingintoit.Theirtangentialvelocityallowsthemto
remaininorbitalmotionwhiletheforceofgravitypullstheminward.
Manystudentsbelievethatorbitingastronautsareweightlessbecausetheydonotexperienceaforceof
gravity.Sotopresumethattheabsenceofgravityisthecauseoftheweightlessnessexperiencedby
orbitingastronautswouldbeinviolationofcircularmotionprinciples.Ifapersonbelievesthatthe
absenceofgravityisthecauseoftheirweightlessness,thenthatperson
ishardpressedtocomeupwithareasonforwhytheastronautsare
orbitinginthefirstplace.Thefactisthattheremustbeaforceofgravity
inorderfortheretobeanorbit.
Onemightrespondtothisdiscussionbyadheringtoasecond
misconception:theastronautsareweightlessbecausetheforceofgravity
isreducedinspace.Thereasoninggoesasfollows:"withlessgravity,
therewouldbelessweightandthustheywouldfeellessthantheirnormalweight."Whilethisispartly
true,itdoesnotexplaintheirsenseofweightlessness.Theforceofgravityactinguponanastronauton
thespacestationiscertainlylessthanonEarth'ssurface.Buthowmuchless?Isitsmallenoughto
accountforasignificantreductioninweight?Absolutelynot!Ifthespacestationorbitsatanaltitudeof
approximately400kmabovetheEarth'ssurface,thenthevalueofgatthatlocationwillbereduced
from9.8m/s/s(atEarth'ssurface)toapproximately8.7m/s/s.Thiswouldcauseanastronautweighing
1000NatEarth'ssurfacetobereducedinweighttoapproximately890Nwheninorbit.Whilethisis
certainlyareductioninweight,itdoesnotaccountfortheabsolutelyweightlesssensationsthat
astronautsexperience.Theirabsolutelyweightlesssensationsaretheresultofhaving"thefloorpulled
outfromunderthem"(sotospeak)astheyarefreefallingtowardstheEarth.
Stillotherphysicsstudentsbelievethatweightlessnessisduetotheabsenceofairinspace.Their
misconceptionliesintheideathatthereisnoforceofgravitywhenthereisnoair.Accordingtothem,
gravitydoesnotexistinavacuum.Butthisisnotthecase.Gravityisaforcethatactsbetweenthe
Earth'smassandthemassofotherobjectsthatsurroundit.Theforceofgravitycanactacrosslarge
distancesanditseffectcanevenpenetrateacrossandintothevacuumofouterspace.Perhaps
studentswhoownthismisconceptionareconfusingtheforceofgravitywithairpressure.Airpressureis
theresultofsurroundingairparticlespressinguponthesurfaceofanobjectinequalamountsfromall
directions.Theforceofgravityisnotaffectedbyairpressure.Whileairpressurereducestozeroina
locationvoidofair(suchasspace),theforceofgravitydoesnotbecome0N.Indeedthepresenceofa
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vacuumresultsintheabsenceofairresistancebutthiswouldnotaccountfortheweightless
sensations.Astronautsmerelyfeelweightlessbecausethereisnoexternalcontactforcepushingor
pullingupontheirbody.Theyareinastateoffreefall.

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