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Weightlessness

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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 20, 2026

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

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

Published on: November 13, 2014

Hypergravity, Microgravity, and Animal Research.

Jack J W A van Loon^1,2

¹Department Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery/Pathology, Amsterdam Movement Sciences & Amsterdam Bone Center (ABC), Amsterdam University Medical Center Location, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam & Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), Gustav Mahlerlaan 3004, Amsterdam, 1081 LA, the Netherlands. jjwavanloon@gmail.com.

Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.)

|May 18, 2026

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Gravity significantly impacts animal physiology, affecting metabolism, anatomy, and behavior under varying gravitational conditions. This chapter reviews how weightlessness, hypo-, and hypergravity influence animals, focusing on buoyancy, sedimentation, and pressure.

Keywords:

Animal Centrifuges Hypergravity Microgravity simulation Spaceflight

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Area of Science:

Life Sciences
Physical Sciences
Animal Physiology

Background:

Gravity is a fundamental force influencing biological systems.
Organisms exhibit adaptations to Earth's gravity (9.81 m/s²), free fall (weightlessness), and increased gravity (hypergravity).

Purpose of the Study:

To examine the effects of altered gravity on animals.
To explore the influence of near weightlessness, hypo-, and hypergravity on buoyancy, sedimentation, and hydrostatic pressure.
To provide a historical overview of animal studies in altered gravity.

Main Methods:

Review of in-flight and ground-based studies.
Analysis of experimental modalities for altered gravity research.
Focus on animal models.

Main Results:

Gravity variations demonstrably affect animal metabolism, anatomy, and behavior.
Buoyancy, sedimentation, and hydrostatic pressure are key factors influenced by gravity in animals.

Conclusions:

Understanding gravity's impact is crucial for life and physical sciences.
Future research should leverage diverse experimental modalities to further investigate animal responses to gravity.
Altered gravity research provides insights into fundamental biological processes.