Is There Gravity in Space?

Is there gravity in space? Yes, there is. In fact, on the International Space Station, which orbits Earth at an altitude of around 220 miles, which is 354 kilometers, the force of gravity is still about 90% of what it is here on Earth. So how can the International Space Station be called zero gravity? Welcome to Science Unmasked. Please subscribe and turn on the notification button so you can get our latest videos. What is zero gravity? Well, let's start with the term zero gravity. Unfortunately, this term gets used so much as it implies zero gravity, which is misleading. The correct term is microgravity. This is a condition where people or objects appear to be weightless. For example, how astronauts and objects can appear to float in space. Gravity can be found everywhere in space. The strength may vary, but it is always there. It causes objects to be pulled toward it, and it's what holds the moon in orbit around Earth. It is what causes Earth to orbit the sun, and it also keeps the sun in place in the Milky Way galaxy. A spacecraft could go far enough away from Earth that astronauts inside would feel very little gravity. However, this is not why things float on the International Space Station. 90% of Earth's gravity actually reaches the space station, and its relatively strong force holds the International Space Station in orbit. Otherwise, it would fly off into deep space. So how do astronauts float? The simple answer is that they are in free fall. In the vacuum of space, gravity causes all objects to fall at the same rate. The object's mass does not matter. If you were to drop a rock and a feather simultaneously on Earth, the feather would move slower because of the air around it. However, in a vacuum, there is no air. Therefore, they would fall with the same acceleration. An example would be if you were on a free fall ride at an amusement park, and you let go of an object at the same time as you begin to fall. You and the object will fall at the same acceleration. All objects and the space station are all falling together around Earth. When falling at the same acceleration, the object would appear to float in front of you. This is what is happening on the International Space Station. The crew, all objects, and the space station are all falling together around Earth, giving the appearance that they are floating when you compare it with the spacecraft. How does the International Space Station fall around Earth? Earth's gravity constantly pulls objects downwards towards the surface. This includes the International Space Station, which means that it is continually falling towards Earth's surface. However, it is also moving at a breakneck speed, 17,500 miles per hour, which is 28,164 kilometers per hour, a speed that matches Earth's surface curves. Imagine a baseball being thrown, and gravity causes it to curve down, hitting the ground quickly. Likewise, when a spacecraft is orbiting Earth, it travels at speed, so the curve of its fall matches the curve of Earth. This means that it is still falling towards the ground but never hits it, and as a result, they fall around the planet. The moon stays in its orbit for this exact reason. The moon is also falling around Earth. That's all from Science Unmasked. Remember to subscribe and like our videos and share it with your friends.