• Question: How would we control objects, us if there was no gravity?

    Asked by M+P to Deborah, Euan, Maheen, Rob, Stu on 17 Jun 2016.
    • Photo: Maheen Siddiqui

      Maheen Siddiqui answered on 17 Jun 2016:

      We would probably have to chase after them as they floated away from us. No idea!

    • Photo: Euan Allen

      Euan Allen answered on 19 Jun 2016:

      Hi M+P – great question.

      The problem when there is no gravity is that there is no atmosphere or air. This means we cannot use things like jets or engines to move this along. We can however use Newtons 3rd law of motion: “Every action has an equal and opposite reaction”.

      If I stood you on a skate board with a really heavy ball, and then got you to throw the ball in a direction, then you would begin to move in the opposite direction to the ball. This is because the force you exert on the ball to throw it away is exactly the same force that the ball exerts on you (which ends up pushing you away).

      Spaceships can fire high pressure gas to get them to move in a certain direction by the same principle. We can use this as a method of controlling and moving objects where there is no atmosphere or gravity!

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