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The actual gravitational force on the astronaut ... the force attracting him to the

mass of the earth ... is exactly the same as it always is, and is equal to his weight.

But ... he feels as if there's more force on him, as if his weight has increased.

That's because he's accelerating aboard the launch vehicle, and there's no way

to tell the difference between the force of gravity and the force of acceleration.

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Q: What is the gravitational force acting upon an astronaut when lifting off?
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What does weight measure?

Weight is the measurement of gravitational force on an object, relevant to Earth.


What will be the weight in kg of 1 liter of furnace oil having specific gravity of 0.9655?

Mass is measured in kilograms, not weight. The mass of the furnace oil will be 0.9655 kg. If you do not know the difference between weight and mass, consider the following: You have the same amount of material in you whether you are in earth, in mid space or on the moon. That is your mass. You also have a certain amount of weight on earth, which is the effect of the earth's gravitational force acting on your mass. On the moon, the gravitational force is only a sixth as strong and your weight will be only a sixth as much as on earth. In outer space, there may be no gravitational force in which case your weight will be 0. Thus your mass is something that is an intrinsic property of you (at least, of your body) while your weight is largely dependent on the gravitational force acting on you.


What is the difference between the equation for force and the equation for weight?

There are many equations for force, depending on the setup, the machinery, the origin of the force, etc. The equation for weight is one of them. It's the right one to use when the origin of the force is mutual gravitational attraction between two masses. <><><><><> The force acting on an object is mass times acceleration. The weight acting on an object is the force of gravity, and is G (the universal gravitational constant, about 6.67 x 10-11 N (m/kg)2) times mass1 times mass2 divided by distance squared. This is normally expressed in newtons, but if you normalize to G and mass2 you discover that the force due to gravity is the same as mass1.


What is gravitational potential energy related to?

The distance from the object providing a gravitational force.


What is the law of gravitational potential energy?

Gravitational energy is the potential energy associated with gravitational force. If an object falls from one point to another point inside a gravitational field, the force of gravity will do positive work on the object, and the gravitational potential energy will decrease by the same amount.

Related questions

Why does an astronaut weigh less on the moon?

An astronaut weighs less on the moon because the moon has less mass than Earth, meaning weaker gravitational force. Weight is the result of the gravitational force acting on an object's mass, so with less force on the moon, the astronaut feels lighter.


A freely floating Astronaut pushes another freely floating astronaut in an artificial satellite What is the force applied by the 1st astronaut on the 2nd one?

The force applied would be zero as a freely floating astronaut feels weightlessness as the gravitational force acting on him is zero.


What is the force acting on a weight and what are the forces acting on weightlifter?

The force acting on a weight is its gravitational force, which is the force pulling it downward towards the Earth. The forces acting on a weightlifter when lifting a weight include the gravitational force acting on the weight being lifted, the normal force exerted by the ground pushing back up on the weightlifter, and the muscular force applied by the weightlifter to lift the weight against gravity.


Is an orbiting astronaut subject to zero gravitational force?

An orbiting astronaut experiences a gravitational force that keeps them moving in a curved path around a celestial body, such as a planet or moon. This force is what causes the astronaut to stay in orbit. It is not that there is zero gravitational force, but rather that the force is balanced with the astronaut's velocity so they remain in a stable orbit.


What has changed to cause the weight of the astronaut to be different?

weight= mass*gravity in this case, an astronauts mass has stayed the same, but the gravitational force acting upon him has decreased, decreasing his weight. gravity decreses because the astronaut is further from the centre of gravitational attraction (the earth)


Why birds can fly even there is gravitational force acting on it?

That's because the gravitational force isn't the only force acting, in this case.


When you lift a box off the ground gravity opposes your lifting force true or false?

Well, it's true that the gravitational force acting on the box acts in the direction opposite to the direction of your lifting force, but there's nothing malicious or contrary about it. In fact, the gravitational force was there before you came on the scene, and as you lined up your lift, it was you who decided to oppose it.


How does gravitational force acting on the planet compare to the gravitational force acting on the moon due to the planet?

The gravitational force acting on the planet is much greater than the gravitational force acting on the moon due to the planet. This is because the planet has a significantly larger mass than the moon, resulting in a stronger gravitational pull on the moon towards the planet.


What determines the size of gravitational force?

The mass of the object the force is acting on, and the gravitational acceleration where the force is acting. F = m*g, where F is the gravitational force, m is the mass of the object and g is the gravitational acceleration (on Earth it is about 9.81ms-2)


Is gravitational force acting on a person who falls off a cliff or on an astronaut inside an orbiting space shuttle?

Yes, gravitational force is acting on both the person falling off a cliff and the astronaut inside an orbiting space shuttle. The person falling off a cliff experiences a gravitational pull towards the center of the Earth, causing them to accelerate downwards. The astronaut inside an orbiting space shuttle experiences a gravitational pull towards the Earth as well, but their motion is primarily governed by their speed and centripetal force that keeps them in orbit.


Are acting on the pen?

The Forces acting on the pen are first the downward force called gravitational force and the upward force is the tension force.


When apple is falling the gravitational force is acting but why force of gravity is not acting here?

The terms "gravitational force" and "force of gravity" are interchangeable and both refer to the same force exerted on objects due to gravity. When an apple is falling, the force of gravity (gravitational force) is indeed acting on it, causing it to accelerate towards the Earth.