Explain in one or two sentences why astronauts aboard the International Space Station…

PHYSICS · Subjective · AP · Physics 1: Algebra-based · Force and Translational Dynamics · Force and Translational Dynamics

Problem

Explain in one or two sentences why astronauts aboard the International Space Station feel weightless even though Earth’s gravitational field at that altitude is only slightly weaker than at the surface.

Related theory

Orbital Motion
Circular & Orbital Motion Dynamics
Mass, Weight & Apparent Weight
Gravitation
Orbital velocity and period
Earth satellites

Browse the problem library