Skip to main content

Can We Help?: Effects of g-force on the human body

Posted 
Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume.
A pilot sits in a plane cockpit
Can We Help?: Effects of g-force on the human body

SUBJECTS:  Science

YEARS:  3–4, 7–8


Peter Rowsthorn visits the Australian International Air Show to answer the question, 'What effect does g-force have on the human body?'

Join Pete in the cockpit of a light plane for some aerobatics with pilot David Pilkington.

G-force expert Dr David Newman explains the science as Pete endures up to 6 g in the aircraft.


Things to think about

  1. 1.Have you ever felt 'heavier' or 'lighter' than usual during a ride in an elevator of a tall building? What about when on an amusement ride where you drop from a great height or travel at great speed? Of course, you don't really get heavier or lighter — so what's happening? In these situations you are feeling the effects of acceleration and deceleration often referred to as g-force. Do you know what g-force is?
  2. 2.Dr David Newman explains that g-force is a multiple of the force of gravity. 1 g is equal to an acceleration of 9.8 metres per second squared. What is 9 g equivalent to? Under a force of 3 g, what effect does this have on your weight (not your mass)? How does Pete react physically to the force of 6 g during the flight?
  3. 3.What effect does g-force have on you while in a car that accelerates quickly? Choose a situation to help explain the effect of g-force. Draw a labelled diagram to show how g-force affects a person at different points of the movement use terms acceleration and deceleration.
  4. 4.Why do rocket scientists, car engineers and amusement park designers need to understand g-force? Find out more about Gravity Induced Loss of Consciousness. What are the physical signs a person shows at 3 g, 5 g and on up to 9 g?



Date of broadcast: 27 Nov 2008


Copyright

Metadata © Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Education Services Australia Ltd 2012 (except where otherwise indicated). Digital content © Australian Broadcasting Corporation (except where otherwise indicated). Video © Australian Broadcasting Corporation (except where otherwise indicated). All images copyright their respective owners. Text © Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Education Services Australia is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Posted