Lab #5 – Newtons First Law.docVIP

? 2004 Penn State University Physics 211R: Lab – Newton’s First LawNewton’s First LawReading Assignment:Chapter 5, Sections 2-4Chapter 6, Section 4Photo by Keith Larrett/photos/skydiving1.htmlIntroduction:A common misconception is that astronauts are not subject to the force of gravity during space flight. In reality, for missions orbiting the earth, astronauts are subject to a force of gravity that is only slightly less than what they would experience on the earth’s surface. Why, then, do they appear to be “weightless?” The answer is simple. While in orbit around the earth, they experience free fall motion in the same way that skydivers do. (There is simply no air pushing against them.) Free fall motion provides the sensation called “weightlessness.” Both orbiting astronauts and skydivers undergo free fall motion.There is a difference, however. The difference between skydivers and astronauts can be illustrated by looking at the forces acting upon them. An astronaut orbiting the earth is subject to only one force, the force of gravitational attraction to the earth. A skydiver, on the other hand, is subject to two forces: gravitational attraction to the earth and air resistance. Different net forces cause different types of motion. Since an astronaut is subject to only one force, the net force cannot be equal to zero. Newton’s Second Law states that this type of situation causes accelerated motion. In this case, the astronaut is accelerating towards the center of the earth with centripetal acceleration. The result is circular, or orbital, motion. Because a skydiver is subject to two forces, the net force may or may not be zero. The value of the net force depends upon the magnitude and direction of each of these forces. Newton’s First Law, the Law of Inertia, states that a net force of zero causes an object to be at rest or in motion with constant velocit