how does “rotating ship” gravity work without ever touching ship

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I don’t know why I’m so obsessed with this. I know that rotational gravity is real. I’ve been on a tilt-a-whirl, I just don’t fully understand WHY it works.

Here is a scenario to illustrate what I mean: I am an astronaut inside a “hollow donut” type ship like in 2001. There is no air, we are in space. No relative gravity whatsoever from anything else. I am inside the ship, it is not moving or spinning and I am not close to the hull or anything.

From what I understand if the ship begins to “spin” to induce the artificial gravity effect, I will be affected by it and pushed out toward the outer wall or hull.

Why? What is ACTING on me. I know it might sound like a weird question. I love science and am convinced by it 100% I just feel like I don’t get what exactly is going on.

In: Physics

9 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Let’s say you’re in this contraption and you jump. From an outsiders perspective, when you jump, the ship keeps moving below your feet and eventually “catches you”, giving the impression that you fell. In reality, the ship simply moved into you.

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