The Physics of Weightless Flight ft Emily Calandrelli

Ever wanted to know how those vomit comet planes simulate weightlessness?

 

Inside the ISS: Splitting Hairs About Gravity

An astronaut in microgravity is being accelerated by the force provided by a single hair.

 

ScienceCasts: The Zero Gravity Coffee Cup

Drinking coffee in space is surprisingly tricky. Physicists researching the strange behavior of fluids onboard the International Space Station have invented a zero-g coffee cup to make the morning "cuppa Joe" a little easier to swallow.

 

ScienceCasts: Strange Flames on the International Space Station

Researchers experimenting with flames onboard the International Space Station have produced a strange, cool-burning form of fire that could help improve the efficiency of auto engines.

 

Wet Washcloth In Space - What Happens When You Wring It?

International Space Station commander Chris Hadfield soaks a washcloth, gives it a twist, and...well, you'll see.

 

Science off the Sphere: Yo-Yos in Space

NASA Astronaut Don Pettit uses his off-duty time to practice his microgravity yo-yo skills.

Other Science off the Sphere videos

Science off the Sphere: Astro Puffs

In his off duty time, NASA Astronaut Don Pettit explores the physics of water in a weightless environment. Published as a collaboration between NASA and the American Physical Society.

This time:  waves and refraction with a big sphere of water.

Other Science off the Sphere videos

Science off the Sphere: Spring Theory

How do you measure mass in a weightless environment? NASA Astronaut Don Pettit demonstrates as part of a collaboration between NASA and the American Physical Society.

Other Science off the Sphere videos

Science off the Sphere: Space Balloonacy

In his off duty time, NASA Astronaut Don Pettit cools down with some microgravity water balloon experiments aboard the International Space Station.

Other Science off the Sphere videos

Science off the Sphere: 1.21 Legowatts

NASA Astronaut Don Pettit gets creative with an educational LEGO kit aboard the International Space Station. Answer the challenge question at www.physicscentral.com/sots for a chance for prizes!

Other Science off the Sphere videos

CERN News - Neutralino back from Space

ESA astronaut and former CERN physicist Christer Fuglesang returns a symbolic neutralino particle to CERN after flying it to the International Space Station on the occasion of his STS128 mission in 2009.

 

Science off the Sphere: Goo!

Don uses his computer speakers to test the behavior of non-newtonian fluids in the weightless environment aboard the International Space Station. Answer the Challenge question at Physics Central for a chance for your name to be read from space!

Other Science off the Sphere videos

Why Are Astronauts Weightless?

In this segment, the Veritasium guy asks why astronauts in the space station are weightless. The most common answer is because there is no gravity in space. But of course there is gravity in space, especially where the space station is located (only about 400km from Earth's surface). So astronauts still experience a gravitational pull - it's just that they and the space station are in free fall so they are accelerating together towards the Earth. The space station doesn't crash into the Earth because of its orbital velocity - it's going 28,000 km/h so as it falls, the Earth curves away from it.

Other Veritasium videos

Science off the Sphere: Space Soundwaves

Don demonstrates water oscillations on a speaker in microgravity, and ZZ Top rocks the boat 250 miles above Earth.

Other Science off the Sphere videos

Science off the Sphere: Fun with Antibubbles

Astronaut and chemist Dr. Don Pettit does physics demos that are out of this world. Currently on board the International Space Station, Dr. Pettit presents fantastic physics that can only be demonstrated in micro-gravity.

Other Science off the Sphere videos

Science off the Sphere: Lenses and Vortices

NASA Astronaut Don Pettit takes advantage of the weightless environment aboard the ISS to do diffusion and lens experiments with pure water. Distributed as part of a collaboration between NASA and the American Physical Society.

Other Science off the Sphere videos

Science Off The Sphere: Thin Film Physics

NASA astronaut Don Pettit examines the behavior of thin films of water aboard the International Space Station. Distributed as part of a collaboration between NASA and the American Physical Society.

Other Science off the Sphere videos

 

Science Off the Sphere: Drinking tea in microgravity

The crew aboard the International Space Station try out a novel new design in microgravity teacup technology.

Other Science off the Sphere videos

 

Science off the Sphere: Dancing Droplets

NASA Astronaut Don Pettit, aboard the International Space Station, demonstrates some interesting interplay between water droplets and charged knitting needles in microgravity.

Other Science off the Sphere videos

Parabolas and Zero G Flight

Janet Ivey of Janet's Planet aboard the Zero G plane (in parabolic flight) finds out what Microgravity is really like!