• Question: With there being no gravity in space does that mean the gases, liquids and solids inside you are all mixed?

    Asked by itch to Allan, Diva, Nathan on 5 Jul 2012.
    • Photo: Nathan Langford

      Nathan Langford answered on 5 Jul 2012:

      Hi itch,

      It’s true that gravity is very weak in space (not zero, in fact, but if you’re in free fall, it seems like it’s zero). But all the other forces are still there, which is fortunate, because those are the forces that hold us together! In fact, if we were held together by gravity, we’d all be squashed onto the ground like pancakes. It’s only the other forces that hold us together against gravity.

      These forces are the electromagnetic forces and different types of nuclear force. It’s the nuclear forces that hold the nuclei of our atoms together and then (mainly) the electromagnetic forces which make the atoms (the negative electrons floating around the positive nuclei) and then allow the atoms to combine together to form molecules and then cells, etc. In fact, these forces are much, much (1000s of times) stronger than gravity – fortunately.

      So although there is no gravity in space, these other forces keep us together in our normal shape. I bet it makes your stomach feel a bit odd, though, since everything would float around inside it!

      Cheers,
      Nathan.

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