When you step on a weighing scale at noon, the Earth pulls you down and the overhead sun pulls you upward. The reason the sun's pull doesn't decrease your weight at noon is because
A) the weighing scale is calibrated only in Earth weight.
B) the sun's pull is cancelled by the gravitation of other celestial bodies.
C) of tidal effects in the "solid" Earth.
D) you, the scale, and the Earth are freely falling around the sun.
E) the sun's pull on you is negligibly small.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The sun's gravitational pull affects you, the scale, and the Earth equally, causing all to orbit around the sun together. This means you don't "feel" the sun's pull in a way that would reduce your weight on the scale, as you and the scale are in a freely falling frame of reference with respect to the sun.

When You Step on a Weighing Scale at Noon, the Earth