Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Self-Locking Screw01:16

Self-Locking Screw

2.7K
A square-threaded screw jack is a mechanical device widely used for lifting heavy loads or applying considerable force. One of the key features that can make a screw jack more effective and reliable is its self-locking capability.
A square-threaded screw jack carrying a load is considered self-locking if the screw retains its position even after the moment applied to it is removed.
2.7K
Upward Impending Motion01:21

Upward Impending Motion

630
A square-threaded screw jack is a mechanical device widely used for lifting heavy loads or applying considerable force. Its operation is based on converting the force applied at its handle into a torsional moment, causing the upward impending motion of the screw. This movement is accomplished by overcoming the static friction between the threads of the screw and the jack.
To better comprehend how a screw jack functions, consider the completely unraveled thread as a block in contact with the...
630
Comparison Between Electrical And Gravitational Forces01:24

Comparison Between Electrical And Gravitational Forces

4.2K
There are four fundamental forces in nature: the gravitational force, the electromagnetic force, the strong nuclear force, and the weak nuclear force. To compare the numerical strengths of the first two, take two particles of the same kind. Since electrons are fundamental particles, they are a good example.
Since both are inverse square law forces, the distance gets canceled when the ratio of the two forces is considered. Instead, the ratio of the electrical and gravitational forces depends on...
4.2K
Apparent Weight01:09

Apparent Weight

10.1K
True weight is the measure of the gravitational force acting on an object. However, if the object accelerates, its measured weight is different from its true weight. Similar observations can be made when the object is submerged in water. An object's weight in water is its apparent weight, which is equal to the difference between its true weight and the buoyant forces.
Consider a person standing on a bathroom scale inside an elevator. If the scale is accurate at rest, its reading equals the...
10.1K
Gravitational Force01:16

Gravitational Force

2.1K
2.1K
Work Done by Gravity01:04

Work Done by Gravity

9.3K
Gravitation is one of the four fundamental forces in nature. The force between objects on Earth and Earth itself is called gravity.
Like other forces, gravity does work on an object if it displaces it toward the Earth's center. In this case, the work done by gravity is said to be positive. If an external force acts on the object against the pull of gravity and manages to lift it away from the Earth's center, work is done against gravity. In this case, the net work done is said to be...
9.3K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Consolidation of cognitive maps as a gradual process.

Experimental brain research·2026
Same author

Age-related changes in decision making with different wayfinding strategies.

Psychological research·2025
Same author

Cortical dynamics are differentially associated with decision-making strategies in human wayfinding: An EEG study.

Cognitive, affective & behavioral neuroscience·2025
Same author

Route-following deficits in amnestic mild cognitive impairment: Is the dual encoding of route-following strategies impaired?

Journal of Alzheimer's disease : JAD·2025
Same author

Cognitive representations of multilevel buildings: two- or three-dimensional?

Experimental brain research·2025
Same author

Can visual acceleration evoke a sensation of tilt?

Experimental brain research·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 14, 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

14.2K

Flipping a Switch "Down" When Not Aligned with the Gravitational Vertical.

Otmar Bock1, Nils Bury

  • 1Institute of Physiology and Anatomy, German Sport University, Cologne, Germany.

Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance
|September 24, 2016
PubMed
Summary

Humans rely on multiple cues to orient themselves. In this study, we found that when visual and gravitational cues conflict, people primarily use their body orientation to flip switches, not gravity.

More Related Videos

Single Wavelength Shadow Imaging of Caenorhabditis elegans Locomotion Including Force Estimates
08:41

Single Wavelength Shadow Imaging of Caenorhabditis elegans Locomotion Including Force Estimates

Published on: April 18, 2014

9.7K
Real-Time DC-dynamic Biasing Method for Switching Time Improvement in Severely Underdamped Fringing-field Electrostatic MEMS Actuators
11:44

Real-Time DC-dynamic Biasing Method for Switching Time Improvement in Severely Underdamped Fringing-field Electrostatic MEMS Actuators

Published on: August 15, 2014

10.8K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 14, 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

14.2K
Single Wavelength Shadow Imaging of Caenorhabditis elegans Locomotion Including Force Estimates
08:41

Single Wavelength Shadow Imaging of Caenorhabditis elegans Locomotion Including Force Estimates

Published on: April 18, 2014

9.7K
Real-Time DC-dynamic Biasing Method for Switching Time Improvement in Severely Underdamped Fringing-field Electrostatic MEMS Actuators
11:44

Real-Time DC-dynamic Biasing Method for Switching Time Improvement in Severely Underdamped Fringing-field Electrostatic MEMS Actuators

Published on: August 15, 2014

10.8K

Area of Science:

  • Human motor control
  • Vestibular system research
  • Human-computer interaction

Background:

  • The human motor system typically uses visual, gravitational, and egocentric cues for orientation.
  • Divers and astronauts face environments with limited or absent visual and gravitational cues, complicating tasks like flipping switches.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how humans orient themselves to flip a switch "down" when deprived of normal sensory input.
  • To evaluate the reliance on egocentric versus gravitational cues in a simulated challenging environment.

Main Methods:

  • 24 healthy volunteers were blindfolded and tilted to various angles.
  • Participants were instructed to flip a switch "down" to silence an alarm.
  • The switch allowed movement in any direction within the frontal plane.

Main Results:

  • Most participants (20/24) oriented the switch based on their body's perceived vertical (egocentric cues).
  • A minority (2/24) oriented the switch with gravity, regardless of body position.
  • Egocentric responders showed variability, orienting towards different body parts.

Conclusions:

  • Action and perception may utilize separate internal representations of verticality, challenging previous findings.
  • Designers of equipment for spaceflight and underwater use should not assume intuitive "downward" switch operation based on gravity.