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Definition: Weightlessness |
WeightlessnessNoun1. The property of being comparatively small in weight; "the lightness of balsa wood". Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved. |
Date "weightlessness" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1985. (references) |
| Domain | Definitions |
Aerospace | 1. A condition in which no acceleration, whether of gravity or other force, can be detected by an observer within the system in question. Any object failing freely in a vacuum is weightless, thus an unaccelerated satellite orbiting the earth is weightless although gravity affects its orbit. Weightlessness can be produced within the atmosphere in aircraft flying a parabolic flightpath.2. A condition in which gravitational and other external forces acting on a body produce no stress, either internal or external, in the body. (references) |
Physics | A condition of apparent absence of an acceleration field. This may be experienced during unopposed acceleration at that rate imposed by the gravitational field(e. g. , free fall in a vacuum or within a closed vessel), when the gravitational force is countered by an equal and opposite force(as in orbital flight)or during flight at escape velocity. Partial simulation is commonly conducted by immersion in a liquid of specific gravity close to that of the body. Source: European Union. (references) |
Space | (or "zero g") the condition when no force (such as weight) is sensed. Occurs in orbit or free fall, when gravity already produces its full acceleration and can produce no further effect. (references) |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
(From Wikipedia, the free Encyclopedia)
Weightlessness is the experience of apparently having no weight. This condition is also known as microgravity. The microgravity symbol, µg, was used on the insignia of the Space Shuttle flight STS-107, because this flight was devoted to weightlessless research (see picture in that article).
Weightlessness is not due to an increased distance to the earth: the acceleration due to gravity at a height of, for example, 100 km is only 3% less than at the surface of the earth.
Weightlessness means a zero g-force: acceleration is equal to gravity.
What humans experience as weight is not actually the force due to gravity (even though that is the technical definition of weight). What we feel as weight is actually the force of the ground (or whatever surface we are in contact with) pushing upwards against us to counteract the force due to gravity. A wood block in a container in free-fall experiences weightlessness. This is because there is no reaction to the wood block's weight from the container, as it is being pulled down with the same acceleration. The acceleration of the container equals the acceleration of the block, which equals the acceleration caused by gravity. When the container is at rest on the ground, however, the force on each piece of the block is not uniform. Because the block is not accelerating, there is also a force upward that arises because the block is a solid. Each horizontal cross section of the block experiences not only the force due to gravity on it, but also the weight of whatever portion of the block is above it. Part of feeling weight, then, is actually experiencing a pressure gradient within one's own body.
There is another aspect of the feeling of weight that a pressure gradient does not account for, an example of which is the way that our arms are pulled downward with respect to our body. This effect comes from the fact that something hanging is not supported directly via a pressure from the ground. In fact the effect is almost the exact opposite of a pressure gradient, it is a tension gradient. It occurs because each cross section of a hanging object, a rope for instance, must support the weight of every piece below it. So the short answer is that what we call weightlessness has nothing to do with whether or not we are under the influence of a gravitational force, but has to do with whether there are force gradients across our body. In free fall, every part of everything accelerates uniformly (assuming that there are no tidal forces), and thus a human would experience no weight.
Source: adapted by the editor from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia under a copyleft GNU Free Documentation License (GFDL) from the article "Weightlessness."
Synonym: WeightlessnessSynonym: lightness (n). (additional references) |
| Antonym: heaviness (n). (additional references) |
Crosswords: Weightlessness |
| Specialty definitions using "weightlessness": agravic ♦ Cardiovascular Deconditioning ♦ Hindlimb Suspension ♦ Muscular Atrophy ♦ zero gravity, zero-g. (references) |
| Domain | Usage | |
Lyrics | Weightlessness is passing over me. (Tonight and the Rest of My Life; performing artist: Nina Gordon) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | ||
| Domain | Title |
Books |
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Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Thumbnail | Description & Credit | Thumbnail | Description & Credit |
 | Astronaut John Glenn in a State of Weightlessness During Friendship.Credit: NASA. |  | Guion Bluford Experiences Weightlessness on the KC-135.Credit: NASA. |
 | Christa McAuliffe Experiences Weightlessness During KC-135 Flight.Credit: NASA. | ||
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |||
| Subject | Topic | Quote |
Health | Exposure to the weightlessness of space is known to temporarily disrupt balance on return to Earth and to gravity. (references) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits. | ||
| "Weightlessness" is generally used as a noun (singular) -- approximately 100.00% of the time. "Weightlessness" is used about 22 times out of a sample of 100 million words spoken or written in English. Its rank is based on over 700,000 words used in the English language. Some parts-of-speech are not covered due to the samples used by the British National Corpus. (note: percents less than one-hundredth of one percent have been omitted) |
| Parts of Speech | Percent | Usage per 100 Million Words | Rank in English |
| Noun (singular) | 100% | 22 | 74,468 |
Source: compiled by the editor from several corpora; see credits.
Expressions using "weightlessness": Weightlessness Countermeasures ♦ Weightlessness Simulation. Additional references. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. |
| The following statistics estimate the number of searches per day across the major English-language search engines as identified by various trade publications. Hyperlinks lead to commercial use of the expression at Amazon.com. |
| Expression | Frequency per Day |
weightlessness | 10 |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | |
| Language | Translations for "weightlessness"; alternative meanings/domain in parentheses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Albanian | gjendje e mungesës së peshës. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Arabic | عدم الوزن. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Chinese | 失重 (Weightless). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Czech | beztížnost. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Danish | vægtløshed (agravic state, zero-g condition). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dutch | gewichtloosheid (agravic state, zero-g condition). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Esperanto | senpezeco. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Finnish | painottomuus (ready for the press). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
French | apesanteur. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
German | Schwerelosigkeit (zero gravity), Gewichtslosigkeit. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Greek | αβαρές (agravic state, zero-g condition). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hungarian | súlytalanság. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Italian | assenza di peso (agravic state, zero-g condition). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Japanese Kanji | 無重量 (zero gravity), 無重力状態 , 無重力 (zero gravity), ふるいに掛ける (abundant, awkward, baggy, by chance, casually, complaining, drifting, floating, fully, grumbling, hmm, huh, humph, in plenty, lavish, loose-fitting or baggy, pish, plentiful, pshaw, to sieve, to sift, too big). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Japanese Katakana | ふわっと (drifting, floating), むじゅうりょくじょうたい, むじゅうりょう (zero gravity), むじゅうりょく (zero gravity). (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Korean | 무중력. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pig Latin | eightlessnessway leveza (delicacy, easiness, levy, lightness), imponderabilidade (agravic state, zero-g condition). (various references) невесомость (zero gravity, zero-gravity). (various references) bestežinsko stanje. (various references) ingravidez (agravic state, zero gravity, zero-g condition). (various references) tyngdlöshet. (various references) ağırlıksızlık. (various references) невагомість. (various references) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Derivations | |
Words beginning with "weightlessness": weightlessnesses. (additional references) | |
| Source: compiled by the editor, based on several corpora (additional references). | |
| # of Phoneme Matches | Pronunciation | Word(s) rhyming with "weightlessness" (pronounced wā"tlusnus) |
| 7 | -t l u s n u s | restlessness. |
| 6 | -l u s n u s | callousness, carelessness, helplessness, homelessness, hopelessness, joblessness, lawlessness, powerlessness, recklessness, ruthlessness, selflessness. |
| 5 | -u s n u s | cautiousness, consciousness, contagiousness, contentiousness, disingenuousness, fractiousness, graciousness, nervousness, outrageousness, pompousness, rebelliousness, righteousness, seriousness, unconsciousness, viciousness. |
| 4 | -s n u s | closeness, hoarseness, niceness. |
| 3 | -n u s | abruptness, absoluteness, acuteness, aggressiveness, agribusiness, airworthiness, alertness, aloofness, alumnus, Anas, androgynous, anise, appropriateness, arbitrariness, assertiveness, astuteness, asynchronous, attentiveness, attractiveness, awareness, awfulness, awkwardness, backwardness, badness, bagginess, baldness, bearishness, bigness, bitterness, bituminous, blackness, blandness, bleakness, blindness, bluntness, boldness, bonus, boorishness, brashness, brightness, bullishness, business, calmness, casualness, cavernous, cheapness, chitinous, cleanliness, cleanness, cleverness, cloudiness, clumsiness, cockiness, cohesiveness, coldness, Colonus, combativeness, compactness, competitiveness, completeness, contrariness, Conus, coolness, correctness, coziness, craziness, creativeness, creditworthiness, creepiness, crispness, crookedness, cuteness, dampness, darkness, Deaconess, deadliness, deafness, decisiveness, defensiveness, destructiveness, directness, distinctiveness, divisiveness, dizziness, dreariness, drowsiness, drunkenness, dryness, dullness, eagerness, earnestness, edginess, effectiveness, elusiveness, emptiness, evenness, exogenous, eyewitness, faintness, fairness, farsightedness, fastness, fickleness, firmness, fitness, flatness, fondness, foolishness, forcefulness, forgiveness, forthrightness, foulness, frankness, freshness, friendliness, frothiness, fullness, funniness, furnace, gauntness, gayness, gelatinous, gentleness, genuineness, genus, ghastliness, gluttonous, goodness, governess, greatness, greenness, grimness, hairiness, handedness, happiness, hardness, harmfulness, harness, harshness, heinous, highness, holiness, homesickness, homogenous, hopefulness, humanness, idleness, illness, inclusiveness, indebtedness, indecisiveness, indigenous, ineffectiveness, ineptness, inertness, intravenous, intrusiveness, inventiveness, Johannes, kindness, larcenous, largeness, lateness, laziness, lenis, lightfastness, lightness, likeness, liveliness, loneliness, lousiness, luminous, madness, Manus, meanness, membranous, menace, Minas, mindedness, minus, monotonous, mountainous, mutinous, narrowness, nastiness, nearsightedness, neatness, newness, niggardliness, nitrogenous, nonbusiness, nonpoisonous, nosiness, nothingness, numbness, ominous, oneness, onus, openness, orderliness, otherness, outspokenness, pandanus, peacefulness, penis, permissiveness, persuasiveness, pervasiveness, pettiness, playfulness, poisonous, politeness, polygynous, possessiveness, preparedness, queasiness, quickness, quietness, raciness, randomness, rareness, ravenous, rawness, readiness, reasonableness, redness, remoteness, resistiveness, resourcefulness, responsiveness, restiveness, restrictiveness, richness, rightness, riskiness, robustness, roominess, roughness, rowdiness, rudeness, ruinous, sacredness, sadness, Salinas, sameness, scantiness, secretiveness, selfishness, sensitiveness, separateness, shakiness, shallowness, sharpness, shortness, shortsightedness, shrewdness, shyness, sickness, silliness, sinus, skittishness, slackness, sleepiness, sloppiness, slovenliness, slowness, sluggishness, slyness, smallness, smoothness, smugness, softness, solitariness, soundness, spiritedness, squeamishness, starkness, steadfastness, steadiness, steepness, sternness, stiffness, stillness, stinginess, stoutness, strangeness, stubbornness, sturdiness, suddenness, suggestiveness, sweetness, swiftness, tardiness, tartness, tastiness, tenderness, tetanus, thickness, thinness, thoroughness, thoughtfulness, tightness, timeliness, tiredness, togetherness, toughness, trustworthiness, truthfulness, ugliness, uneasiness, unfairness, unhappiness, uniqueness, unpleasantness, unwieldiness, unwillingness, usefulness, vagueness, vastness, venous, villainous, vindictiveness, vividness, voluminous, wariness, wastefulness, waterishness, weakness, weariness, weirdness, wellness, wetness, whiteness, wholeness, wholesomeness, wickedness, wilderness, wildness, willingness, wimpiness, wistfulness, witness, wonderfulness, worldliness, worthiness, wryness. |
Source: compiled by the editor (additional references); see credits. | ||
Scrabble® Enable2K-Verified Anagrams | |
| Words within the letters "e-e-e-g-h-i-l-n-s-s-s-s-t-w" | |
-2 letters: slightnesses. | |
-3 letters: gentilesses, lightnesses, lithenesses, whitenesses, witlessness. | |
-4 letters: esthesises, gentilesse, lengthwise, slightness, steeliness, weightless, wisenesses. | |
-5 letters: eighteens, englishes, enlistees, lightness, litheness, nightless, selenites, senseless, sheeniest, sheetings, sightless, sightseen, sightsees, stingless, sweetings, sweetness, weensiest, wetnesses, wheelings, whiteness, witnesses. | |
| Words containing the letters "e-e-e-g-h-i-l-n-s-s-s-s-t-w" | |
+2 letters: weightlessnesses. | |
| Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. SCRABBLE® is a registered trademark. All intellectual property rights in and to the game are owned in the U.S.A and Canada by Hasbro Inc., and throughout the rest of the world by J.W. Spear & Sons Limited of Maidenhead, Berkshire, England, a subsidiary of Mattel Inc. Mattel and Spear are not affiliated with Hasbro. | |
Hexadecimal (or equivalents, 770AD-1900s) (references)57 65 69 67 68 74 6C 65 73 73 6E 65 73 73 |
| Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519; backwards) (references)
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| American Sign Language (origins from 1620-1817 in Italy and, especially, France) (references)
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| Semaphore (1791, in France) (references)
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| Braille (1829, in France) (references)
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Morse Code (1836) (references).--. . .. --. .... - .-.. . ... ... -. . ... ... |
| Dancing Men (Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, 1903) (references)
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| Amazon.com BOOKS: Search for: "weightlessness" |
