Passengers in a high-flying jumbo jet feel their normal weight in flight. Passengers in an orbiting space vehicle do not because passengers are
A)beyond the main pull of Earth's gravity.
B)above the Earth's atmosphere.
C)without support forces.
D)all the above
E)none of the above

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Passengers in an orbiting space vehicle experience weightlessness because they are in free fall, continuously falling towards Earth but moving forward fast enough to keep missing it. This creates a condition where there are no support forces acting on them, making them feel weightless.

Passengers in a High-Flying Jumbo Jet Feel Their Normal Weight