1 Microgravity and the ‘vomit comet’

There are several ways of describing the apparent absence of gravity. You may have heard of ‘weightlessness’ where there seems to be no weight, or a ‘zero g’ environment where gravity (g) doesn’t seem to be acting. What about ‘microgravity’ though? Do these terms mean the same thing?

Watch Video 1 which introduces ‘microgravity’ environments. Then complete Activity 1.

Video 1 What is microgravity?

Transcript

Activity 1 What is microgravity?

Allow approximately 15 minutes

Complete the following statements, based on what you learned in Video 1.

Now watch Video 2, which discusses parabolic flights and how they can create a microgravity environment. This video also discusses how it is thought planets are formed. Then complete Activity 2.

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Video 2 The ‘vomit comet’

Transcript

Activity 2 Microgravity environments

Allow approximately 15 minutes

Study Figure 1, which shows the parabolic flight pattern in more detail. Then select the answer to the questions below, based on this figure and Video 2.

Figure 1 Parabolic flight of an aircraft.

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1. What height does the aircraft need to achieve to start the experiment? (Hint: look at the top of the curve in Figure 1 and draw a line from this to the vertical axis.)

32 000 feet

24 000 feet

34 000 feet

28 000 feet

26 000 feet

 

 

2. Roughly how long does the microgravity environment last?

22 seconds

0 seconds

45 seconds

10 seconds

65 seconds

 

 

3. Which part of the parabolic flight curve can create a microgravity environment?

In the top portion of the curve

On the way up.

On the way down.

On the bottom portion of the curve.

Nowhere.

 

 

4. How are planets formed? (Hint: this was discussed in Video 2.)

Tiny ice and dust particles collide gently and stick together in space.

Large ice and dust particles collide hard and bounce off each other in space.

Tiny ice and dust particles collide hard and stick together in space.

Large ice and dust particles collide gently and stick together in space.

Tiny ice and dust particles collide gently and bounce off each other in space.

 

 

Moving on from parabolic motion and planetary formation, next you will consider the physics behind the orbit of the International Space Station (ISS).

OpenLearn - Microgravity: living on the International Space Station
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