Question

A spaceship is in orbit around the earth at an altitude of 400 miles. a) Draw...

A spaceship is in orbit around the earth at an altitude of 400 miles.

a) Draw a Force Body Diagram for an 80 kg astronaut.

b) Describe (or calculate) the astronaut's weight at this location.

c) Explain why the astronauts on the ship experience "weightlessness."

Homework Answers

Answer #1

First, I will find the value of g at 400 miles

400 miles = 643.738 km

g = Gm / r2

here r is the distance from center of earth to the spaceship

radius of earth = 6370 Km

r = 6370 + 643.738 = 7013.738 Km

g = 6.67e-11*5.98e24 / (7013.738 * 1000)2

g = 8.108 m/s2

Thereforem weight of astronaut is

W = mg

W = 80 * 8.108

W = 648.66 N

astronauts on the ship experience "weightlessness because there are no external objects touching our body and exerting a push or pull upon it. Weightlessness exist when all contact forces are removed. This is common when we are in a free fall.

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