Orbiting and free fall?

[m25]

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"When something is in orbit, such as spacecraft orbiting around the earth, it's experiencing free fall and therefore pendulum would not swing."
Could you explain this statement to me? Like what do you mean it's in free fall when it's orbiting??

 

[Cawolf]

It's really a combination of free-fall and centripetal acceleration.

Something in orbit is falling at a constant velocity towards the center of the earth (no acceleration means it feels like you are floating, not falling) while it is moving so fast around the earth that it "is always missing".

 

[m25]

It's really a combination of free-fall and centripetal acceleration.

Something in orbit is falling at a constant velocity towards the center of the earth (no acceleration means it feels like you are floating, not falling) while it is moving so fast around the earth that it "is always missing".

Hmm, I can't quite grasp what you are saying. Is it possible to see this by manipulating equations??

 

[Cawolf]

Not really.

It is a conceptual concept.

 

[m25]

Not really.

It is a conceptual concept.

Oh okay! So when something is in orbit, I thought the centripetal acceleration is constantly pointing to the middle of the circular path, while velocity is pointing tangent to the circular path. Is this in line with your "falling at a constant velocity towards the center of the earth"?

 

[Cawolf]

Yes. The overall speed is constant.