Naked Science Forum
Non Life Sciences => Physics, Astronomy & Cosmology => Topic started by: Seany on 29/03/2008 13:20:19
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In space, or in rockets, where there is anti-gravity.. Would there still be mass? Would it be harder to move a bowling ball than a tennis ball?
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What do you mean "where there is anti-gravity"? What do you envision as "anti-gravity"?
You are correct is surmising that inertial mass and gravity induced weight, although intimately related, are not the same thing, and mass remains even in the absence of external gravity.
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Yuup.. But would it be harder for me to move a bowling ball when it's floating in the air than a tennis ball?
By anti-gravity.. I mean when all the stuff float (such as in a rocket or space)
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In space in a spaceship orbiting the earth their is still gravity ,the bowling ball is still be pulled towarsds the earth by gravity
The reason why the ball floats in a space ship is because the ball is falling towards the earth at the same rate as the spaceship.
And yes it would be harder to move a floating bowling ball than a tennis ball
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I guess you mean a zero gravity environment, like an orbiting spacecraft. The mass of the objects doesn't change. They would not have any weight as such because that is the downward force caused by gravity on a mass, and there is no gravity. But they have inertia due to their mass. This means it is harder to accelerate the more massive object. You could head the tennis ball and it would move, but I wouldn't recomend heading the bowling ball. It would also move, if not as fast, and it would hurt!
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Ohh.. I get the idea..
It would be easier to move it than in real life though, because there isn't any friction?? But I understand how it feels like..