What's it like in Zero-G? - Apr. 4, 2026

In this talk, Dr. Amber Bocom, a physics teacher, explains what zero gravity (microgravity) is and how it can be experienced on Earth. She clarifies that astronauts in orbit are in free fall, not without gravity, and that microgravity is about 1/1,000,000 G. She describes methods to simulate microgravity, such as parabolic flights on airplanes, suborbital flights, skydiving, neutral buoyancy, and roller coasters. The talk then humorously explores how everyday activities like exercise, washing, using the bathroom, and making coffee would be affected in microgravity. She highlights the role of water’s cohesive and adhesive properties due to hydrogen bonding, which cause water to form blobs in microgravity. She also explains why boiling water is difficult in microgravity due to lack of convection. The talk includes clips of astronauts demonstrating these phenomena and concludes with a description of her upcoming zero-G flight with a student-designed experiment.