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Would this be possible on a ring-shaped space station?
http://freefall.purrsia.com/zu/ffskates.gif
I came across this today. It's a webcomic that shows a neat physics trick that could be done in a ring-shaped space station like the ones depicted in movies like 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Basically, the space station rotates to provide artificial gravity through centrifugal force. If you stand still while wearing roller skates, you'll start to move through the station in the direction opposite of the space station's rotation. Your apparent weight will decrease until you're floating off the floor, having stopped relative to the station's rotation. You will then move weightlessly around the ring-shaped part of the station to the amazement of everyone constrained by the artificial gravity.
9 Answers
- campbelp2002Lv 78 years agoFavorite Answer
If you skate in the opposite direction that the station is rotating then you will become weightless. Just standing there would would be carried around with the rim. The only way you can be stopped is if the rim (floor) is moving under you. In other words you need to be rolling along the floor (rim) at the same rate the rim is moving the other way to be "standing still" in an outside (the station) frame of reference.
- 8 years ago
Absolutely. Just throw something in the opposite direction of the rotation at the speed of the rotation and it will float weightlessly until it hits the curved floor. For the artificial gravity to work you need constant contact with the ground. If you jump, you will end up at the same place you jumped from, but you will land at an angle.
Source(s): @ John W You are right, but if you skate in the opposite direction of the rotation at it's speed, you float while the station keeps rotating under your now airborne feet. - aam641Lv 48 years ago
No. You are constantly accelerating away from the center of rotation. That is the acceleration that your inertia is opposing and you perceive it as gravity. If you moved against the rotation, you could become weightless, however, in a station 100m across, you would have to skate at 80 km/h.
- ?Lv 48 years ago
If you know what a gyroscope is some lucky astronaut got to play with one in outerspace a number of years ago. They were astounded to find out it worked the same way in 0 gravity as it does on earth. So regualr physics do apply in outerspace and now think about rides like "The Gravitron" or "Spin Out) where they spin fast enough to make everyone stick to a wall.
It's totally possible - the roller skate theory is not very likely though. It's possible and I got 5 on building the thing to find out for sure!
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- ?Lv 78 years ago
You wouldn't start to move unless you actively skated. As others have mentioned, this would work in a vacuum, but if there's air in the station it'll blow you back down.
What you'd be doing, though, isn't really unique to such space stations - it's merely the equivalent to being in orbit.
- cosmoLv 78 years ago
You're standing there in roller skates --- why would you start to move? There's no force that would make you move.
You'd have to start skating opposite the direction of the station's spin. The faster you went, you'd find a wind opposing your motion, that would try to slow you down.
- John WLv 78 years ago
No, it wouldn't work because your inertia would actually be tangential to the spaceship and is what's giving you the impression of centrifugal force. The air within the station would also be moving with the station due to friction so there is nothing to reduce your velocity.
