Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The very slight gravitational field experienced by a mass that is far removed from any other mass, as in intergalactic or interstellar space.
  • noun A condition, such as a free fall or orbital motion, in which acceleration of an object causes it to appear weightless even in the presence of a strong gravitational force.
  • noun A minute shift in the earth's gravitational field that can occur through geologic processes in a region, such as the movement of the earth's crust along fault lines.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun physics A state of very low acceleration between two free floating objects, as found in sustained freefall, in orbit, or in interstellar space.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

micro- + gravity

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Examples

  • For one, bone loss in microgravity is sorely needing more than a few data and interpolating curves through scattered points is the easy part.

    Gen Y Management Concept Update - NASA Watch 2009

  • New Scientist put together a slideshow of interesting experiments in microgravity, like you would experience on the International Space Station (ISS).

    Boing Boing 2009

  • Andrea James: Alka-Seltzer added to spherical water drop in microgravity Link

    Boing Boing 2009

  • I will concede, microgravity is no more, the science budget hasn't gone up as much as was once planned, and aeronautics just isn't what it used to be.

    Mike Griffin Wants His Old Job Back - NASA Watch 2009

  • "Giant crystals and spherical flames: science in microgravity"

    Boing Boing 2009

  • One of the few scientific success stories of the International Space Station has been its use to grow large, pure crystals in microgravity (see Space station unlocks new world of crystals).

    So Much for this ISS Selling Point - NASA Watch 2007

  • One of the few scientific success stories of the International Space Station has been its use to grow large, pure crystals in microgravity (see Space station unlocks new world of crystals).

    NASA Watch: August 2007 Archives 2007

  • I've floated in microgravity a few times on Zero G flights, and it would sure be even more fun to float around in satin poufs instead of those pedestrian spacesuits.

    Boing Boing: November 5, 2006 - November 11, 2006 Archives 2006

  • One is that, in microgravity, blood that normally is dragged by gravity to the legs instead is spread evenly throughout the body, causing astronauts to feel rather like they have a head cold.

    Archive 2006-08-06 Edward Willett 2006

  • One is that, in microgravity, blood that normally is dragged by gravity to the legs instead is spread evenly throughout the body, causing astronauts to feel rather like they have a head cold.

    Emeril kicks it up a notch...all the way to orbit Edward Willett 2006

Comments

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  • Tom Petty wrote a song that touches upon this subject. Something about free-falling.

    February 28, 2011