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Which of the following persons would feel partially weightless? That is, which would feel 'less weighty' than they feel when they sit stationary in a seat? List all that apply ... .
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Definition of Weightlessness:
Weightlessness is the sensation that is experienced when the only force acting upon an object is the force of gravity.
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Weight or the force of gravity is a non-contact force and can never be felt. Our only sensation of our weight is the feel of a contact force that counteracts or balances our weight. We can feel the normal force of a seat or chair or bed pushing upward on our body. We feel this force nearly 24 hours a day and have a good sense of what it feels like. If this upward force ever becomes greater than its usual value, then you would experience a momentary sensation of weightiness. If this upward force ever becomes less than its usual value, then you would experience a momentary sensation of partial weightlessness. In this question, you are to identify which situations would result in partial weightlessness. You need to identify those situations in which the normal force is less than the usual value. When the normal force becomes less than the weight of the person, there is a downward acceleration. All answers to this question will be situations in which a person is accelerating downwards.
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