The weight of a pilot diving down with an acceleration of 9.8ms -2 will become:
Correct answer: C. Zero
- A. Double
- B. Half
- C. Zero
- D. Negative
Explanation
When an object is in free fall, such as a pilot diving down with an acceleration equal to gravity (9.8 m/s-2), it experiences weightlessness. This occurs because the only force acting on the object is gravity, and there is no normal force counteracting it. Thus, the weight, which is the normal force exerted by a surface, is effectively zero. The other options are incorrect as they suggest changes to gravity or forces that do not apply in the context of free fall.
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About Weightlessness and Artificial Gravity
Weightlessness means the apparent weight or supporting force on an object is zero, as in free fall or an orbiting spacecraft, not that gravity has disappeared. Artificial gravity is produced by centripetal acceleration, usually through rotation. Questions compare gravitational force, normal reaction, orbital motion and the sensation of weight.
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