A common misconception about space is that objects are free from the shackles of gravity.
The truth is that every place in space has at least a small amount of gravity — that's why the moon remains in constant orbit around Earth.
So then, why do videos from the International Space Station (ISS) feature astronauts floating in place, appearing weightless?
It's because of something called microgravity.
Objects in the ISS are in a state of microgravity, a sort of perpetual free fall, moving at 17,500 mph. But instead of falling toward the Earth, they fall around Earth, matching Earth's curves to stay in orbit.
And strange things can happen in microgravity: Flowers smell different, moss grows in spirals, and candles burn in spheres. Everyday things such as fire and water can act kind of funky. Here are a few examples:
In microgravity, water doesn't flow freely but rather clumps together like a blob.
This can make it kind of difficult to wring out wet washcloths. The water clumps together, sticking to the washcloth like a weird, gelatinous casing.
Droplets of water will orbit a charged surface (like this knitting needle) like tiny planets orbiting a strangely shaped star.
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