But the only valid check on whether or not you can feel the gravitational force is to be in free fall. Otherwise, there is at least one other external force acting on you and you might not be able to tell whether you are feeling the effects of that one other force or you are feeling the gravitational force.
Jeff Schnick
________________________________
From: phys-l-bounces@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu on behalf of Michael Edmiston
Sent: Sat 10/28/2006 12:32 PM
To: Forum for Physics Educators
Subject: Re: [Phys-l] feeling gravity, or not
I think we might be talking past each other. I am not arguing I would
feel gravity if I were in free fall. I am assuming I am supported. My
original response was a reaction to Tom Folkert's comment that when you
are standing on earth that you feel the effect of gravity in your feet
because of the deformity in your feet. My comment is that your feet are
not the only place you feel it. Chuck Britton's recent response it the
type of thing I am talking about. If your skeleton is supporting you,
then there are deformations all over your body, not just in your feet.
You feel the effect of gravity throughout your body. That's all I'm
trying to say.
Michael D. Edmiston, Ph.D.
Professor of Physics and Chemistry
Bluffton University
Bluffton, OH 45817
(419)-358-3270
edmiston@bluffton.edu