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Related Concept Videos

Weightlessness01:01

Weightlessness

When an object is dropped, it accelerates toward the center of the Earth. If the net external force on the object is its weight, it is said to be in free fall; that is, the only force acting on the object is gravity. Galileo was instrumental in showing that, in the absence of air resistance, all objects fall with the same acceleration g. However, when objects on the Earth fall downward, they are never truly in free fall, because there is always some upward resistance force from the air acting...
Rocket Propulsion in Gravitational Field - II01:03

Rocket Propulsion in Gravitational Field - II

A rocket's velocity in the presence of a gravitational field is decreased by the amount of force exerted by Earth's gravitational field, which opposes the motion of the rocket. If we consider thrust, that is, the force exerted on a rocket by the exhaust gases, then a rocket's thrust is greater in outer space than in the atmosphere or on a launch pad. In fact, gases are easier to expel in a vacuum.
A rocket's acceleration depends on three major factors, consistent with the equation for the...
Rocket Propulsion in Gravitational Field - I01:20

Rocket Propulsion in Gravitational Field - I

Rockets range in size from small fireworks that ordinary people use to the enormous Saturn V that once propelled massive payloads toward the Moon. The propulsion of all rockets, jet engines, deflating balloons, and even squids and octopuses are explained by the same physical principle: Newton's third law of motion. The matter is forcefully ejected from a system, producing an equal and opposite reaction on what remains.
The motion of a rocket in space changes its velocity (and hence its...
Acceleration due to Gravity on Other Planets01:24

Acceleration due to Gravity on Other Planets

The gravitational acceleration of an object near the Earth's surface is called the acceleration due to gravity. It can be measured by conducting simple experiments on Earth. However, such an experiment is impossible to conduct on the surface of other planets.
Astronomical observations are thus used to measure the acceleration due to gravity on other planets. This can be determined by observing the effect of a planet's gravity on objects close to it. The crucial factor that helps in this...
Gravity between Spherical Bodies01:27

Gravity between Spherical Bodies

Newton's law of gravitation describes the gravitational force between any two point masses. However, for extended spherical objects like the Earth, the Moon, and other planets, the law holds with an assumption that masses of spherical objects are concentrated at their respective centers.
This assumption can be proved easily by showing that the expression for gravitational potential energy between a hollow sphere of mass (M) and a point mass (m) is the same as it would be for a pair of extended...
Escape Velocities of Gases01:19

Escape Velocities of Gases

To escape the Earth's gravity, an object near the top of the atmosphere at an altitude of 100 km must travel away from Earth at 11.1 km/s. This speed is called the escape velocity. The temperature at which gas molecules attain the rms speed, which is equal to the escape velocity, can be estimated by using the equation for the average kinetic energy of the gas molecules. According to the kinetic theory of gas, the average kinetic energy of the gas molecules is proportional to its temperature.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Reduced-gravity Environment Hardware Demonstrations of a Prototype Miniaturized Flow Cytometer and Companion Microfluidic Mixing Technology
13:59

Reduced-gravity Environment Hardware Demonstrations of a Prototype Miniaturized Flow Cytometer and Companion Microfluidic Mixing Technology

Published on: November 13, 2014

Gas-laser behavior in a low-gravity environment.

R B Owen1

  • 1Space Sciences Laboratory, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Marshall Space Flight Center, Alabama 35812, USA.

Optics Letters
|August 25, 2009
PubMed
Summary

Gas lasers for space missions were tested in low gravity. Researchers calculated plasma response times and conducted parabolic flight tests to understand laser performance in microgravity environments.

Area of Science:

  • Space science
  • Plasma physics
  • Laser technology

Background:

  • Space Shuttle experiments necessitate gas lasers, but their behavior in low gravity is largely unknown.
  • Understanding microgravity effects on gas laser performance is critical for future space missions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the behavior and response time of gas laser plasma in a simulated low-gravity environment.
  • To gather essential data on gas laser functionality for space-based applications.

Main Methods:

  • Calculated the response time of laser plasma to the absence of gravity.
  • Conducted low-gravity tests using a NASA KC-135 aircraft on a parabolic trajectory.

Main Results:

  • Preliminary data on gas laser plasma response in microgravity were obtained.

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Experimental Methods for Efficient Solar Hydrogen Production in Microgravity Environment
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Experimental Methods for Efficient Solar Hydrogen Production in Microgravity Environment

Published on: December 3, 2019

Quantitative Locomotion Study of Freely Swimming Micro-organisms Using Laser Diffraction
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Quantitative Locomotion Study of Freely Swimming Micro-organisms Using Laser Diffraction

Published on: October 25, 2012

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Reduced-gravity Environment Hardware Demonstrations of a Prototype Miniaturized Flow Cytometer and Companion Microfluidic Mixing Technology
13:59

Reduced-gravity Environment Hardware Demonstrations of a Prototype Miniaturized Flow Cytometer and Companion Microfluidic Mixing Technology

Published on: November 13, 2014

Experimental Methods for Efficient Solar Hydrogen Production in Microgravity Environment
11:38

Experimental Methods for Efficient Solar Hydrogen Production in Microgravity Environment

Published on: December 3, 2019

Quantitative Locomotion Study of Freely Swimming Micro-organisms Using Laser Diffraction
10:03

Quantitative Locomotion Study of Freely Swimming Micro-organisms Using Laser Diffraction

Published on: October 25, 2012

  • The study provides initial insights into the operational characteristics of gas lasers under simulated space conditions.

    • Conclusions:

    • The research addresses a critical data gap regarding gas laser performance in low gravity.
    • Findings will inform the design and selection of lasers for space exploration and experiments.