Subject: Why is there no gravity in outer space?

I am a sixth grade teacher and one of my students asked me this question. She literally stumped me because I had always heard and excepted that there was no gravity in outer space, I never questioned why. If you could enlighten me, even if its very technical, then I can break it down for my students. Thanks!! My students have been told that astronauts float in space because there is no gravity. Of course there must be gravity for the Earth to revolve around the sun but why then do astronauts "float" in their spacecraft? Heather Blaylock

Response:

Re: Why is there no gravity in outer space?
I am a sixth grade teacher and one of my students asked me this question.  
She literally stumped me because I had always heard and excepted that 
there was no gravity in outer space, I never questioned why.  If you could 
enlighten me, even if its very technical, then I can break it down for my 
students.  Thanks!!


_______________________________________________________________
I'm not posting this question, because we might want to iterate on it and
because I want to ask a few questions.

Why does your student think that there is no gravity in outer space?  If
there is no gravity, why does the Earth orbit the Sun?

	Joseph Lazio, Admin MadSci Network
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Re: Why is there no gravity in outer space?