Weightless cats – Do space cats land on their feet? (2011) [video]

Re:Weightless cats – Do space cats land on their feet? (2011... by geph2021 on Monday April 11, 2022 @07:45PM (#30996709)

  the cat experiences "zero-g" as it accelerates towards terminal velocity

I think you meant the cat experiences 'zero-g' AFTER it's done accelerating and has reached terminal velocity.

I'm guessing in most cat falling situations the cat does not reach terminal velocity, so it is accelerating the whole time and can adjust based on the direction of acceleration.

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Re:Weightless cats – Do space cats land on their feet? (2011... by sandworm101 on Monday April 11, 2022 @07:50PM (#30996755)

No. Terminal velocity is one-g, the same as sitting in a chair. A skydiver at terminal velocity feels exactly as much force/acceleration from the wind as they would feel force from lying down on the ground.

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Re:Weightless cats – Do space cats land on their feet? (2011... by gricardo99 on Monday April 11, 2022 @08:56PM (#30997265)

That's right, the forces cancel each other out, so that's "zero-g".

If you're accelerating, you're experience some "g" force, not "zero-g".

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Re:Weightless cats – Do space cats land on their feet? (2011... by chrischen on Tuesday April 12, 2022 @02:23AM (#30999285)

I’m sitting on the toilet right now, and the forces are canceling each other out so that I’m not sitting in the toilet. Is this 0g?

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Re:Weightless cats – Do space cats land on their feet? (2011... by sandworm101 on Monday April 11, 2022 @09:23PM (#30997448)

Except acceleration due to gravity. Freefall is acceleration without feeling any apparent force.

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