Compare an astronauts weight in orbit with the astronauts weight on Earth, assuming the mass of the astronaut doesn't change.
To compare an astronaut's weight in orbit with their weight on Earth, we need to understand the concept of weight in different gravitational environments.
Weight is the force with which gravity pulls an object towards the center of a celestial body, such as the Earth. It is dependent on both the mass of the object and the acceleration due to gravity where the object is located.
On Earth, the acceleration due to gravity is approximately 9.8 m/s², meaning that every kilogram of mass is pulled downward with a force of 9.8 newtons (N). Therefore, an object with a mass of 100 kilograms on Earth would have a weight of approximately 1000 N (100 kg * 9.8 N/kg).
In orbit, such as on the International Space Station (ISS), the gravitational force experienced by an object is much lower because the object is constantly falling towards the Earth while also moving forward at a high speed. This state of continuous free-fall creates the sensation of weightlessness.
However, it is important to note that the mass of an object (which is essentially the amount of matter it contains) does not change regardless of the gravitational environment. So, an astronaut's mass would remain the same, whether in orbit or on Earth.
Since weight depends on both mass and acceleration due to gravity, and acceleration due to gravity is much smaller in orbit compared to Earth, the astronaut's weight in orbit would also be significantly smaller. In fact, in microgravity environments like the ISS, astronauts typically experience a sensation of weightlessness because their weight is close to zero.
So, to summarize, the astronaut's weight in orbit would be much lower (close to zero) compared to their weight on Earth, assuming their mass remains constant.