Book 1, Question 83 · Video
Why Do Astronauts Float? They're Falling Around Earth!
Astronauts float, but there is still gravity in space! The page explains that it is gravity that keeps the space station in orbit. The station moves forward so fast that as it fall
Read the full answer →What Crafty Clover says in this video
Intro
Hi! I'm Crafty Clover! Let's discover something amazing. Why do astronauts float?
The Big Idea
Astronauts float, but not because there's no gravity! They float because they're falling around Earth, all the time. And everything around them is falling too! Let's discover how space really works!
Not Zero Gravity, Exactly
Number one: it's not zero gravity, exactly. There's still lots of gravity in space! Up where the space station flies, gravity is almost as strong as on the ground. In fact, gravity is what keeps the space station in orbit around Earth.
They Are Falling Around Earth
Number two: they're falling around Earth, constantly! The space station, called the ISS, zooms forward at about 28,000 kilometers an hour. So as it falls toward Earth, it keeps missing it, curving around and around.
The Station Falls Too
Number three: the station falls too, so they float together. Everything inside is falling at the same rate: the station, the astronauts, their tools, even a dropped snack! With nothing pushing back on them, they all float together.
Inside the ISS
Let's take a closer look inside the space station! The station is falling around Earth. The astronaut is falling at exactly the same rate. Her tools and her snack are falling too. Since everything falls together, nothing pushes on anything, so it all floats! That floaty feeling is called weightlessness.
Quick Facts
Quick facts! That fall is called free fall. It means falling with only gravity pulling, and nothing in the way. The space station zooms all the way around Earth about every ninety minutes! So astronauts can see about sixteen sunrises every single day! And astronauts sleep in sleeping bags tied to the wall, so they don't drift away!
Think Like a Scientist
Now, think like a scientist! Try this thought experiment. Picture an elevator, high above the ground. You drop a ball inside. Now imagine the whole elevator falls freely, at the same rate as the ball. Inside the falling elevator, the ball floats! That's free fall, the same idea as inside the space station. It's only pretend, so never try this in a real elevator!
Outro
Astronauts float because they're falling around Earth, together with their station. Science is everywhere, even when you're floating! Crafty Clover can be found on Amazon Books, Google Bookstore, and Apple Books. Available for purchase or download! Bye for now!