What is weight? Under what circumstances might something be weightless?

Weight is the force exerted on an object due to gravity. It is the product of an object's mass and the acceleration due to gravity (g), which is approximately 9.81 meters per second squared (m/s²) at Earth's surface. Mathematically, weight can be expressed as W = mg, where W represents weight, m represents mass, and g represents the acceleration due to gravity.

It is important to note that weight and mass are not the same. Mass is the measure of the amount of matter in an object, typically measured in units such as kilograms (kg). Weight, on the other hand, is a force and is measured in units like newtons (N) in the International System of Units (SI). While an object's mass remains constant, its weight can change depending on the strength of gravity acting upon it, and is location-dependent.

Weightlessness is the state or condition of experiencing no apparent force of gravity, as if the object's weight has become zero. It is important to note that this does not mean the object has no mass or that gravity has disappeared. Rather, it means that the object is in a state where the force of gravity acting upon it is balanced or canceled out by other forces.

There are several circumstances under which an object can appear to be weightless: 1. Free fall: An object in free fall is in a state of weightlessness because it is accelerating due to gravity at the same rate as its surroundings. Example: skydiving. 2. Orbiting Earth: Astronauts in the International Space Station (ISS) experience weightlessness because they are in a constant state of free fall around the Earth. The gravitational force acting on them is balanced by the centripetal force needed to keep them in orbit, making them feel weightless. 3. Outer space: Far away from any celestial body, an object can experience a negligible gravitational force, resulting in a near-weightless condition. 4. Neutral buoyancy: An object submerged in a liquid can experience weightlessness if its buoyant force, which is the upward force exerted by the liquid, equals its weight. In this state, the object neither sinks nor floats. This is often experienced by scuba divers when they achieve neutral buoyancy underwater.