The inverse square law applies to sound and electrostatics, and NASA is interested in the law and its effects on light energy and gravity. Within the engineering design process for the Juno mission (see the “Why with Nye” video accompanying this lesson), engineers asked some fundamental questions: How much power …
NASA Astronauts Megan McArthur and Shane Kimbrough discuss moment of inertia and its effects on rotating objects. Watch as Megan demonstrates what happens to her angular speed as she alters her moment of inertia in microgravity aboard the International Space Station.
Newton’s laws of motion apply whether we are launching a rocket that is escaping Earth’s gravitational field or traveling through deep space. These same laws also help in understanding another important scientific principle called impulse. Impulse (a force applied for a period of time) can result in the change of …
