An astronaut inside a small spaceship orbiting around the earth cannot detect gravity. If the space station orbiting around the earth has a large size, can he hope to detect gravity?
Hint: The gravitational force provide the required centripetal force for circular motion. Explanation:
Inside a small spaceship orbiting around the earth, the value of acceleration due to gravity g can be considered as constant and hence astronaut feels weightlessness. If the space station orbiting around the earth has a large size, such that variation in g matters in that case astronaut inside the spaceship will experience gravitational force and hence can detect gravity. e.g., On the moon, due to its larger size gravity can be detected.
