Some engineers have suggested that we can simulate gravity in outer space by having a circular rotating space station where persons feel an outward - directed fictitious force due to the rotation of the station. The reason they feel such a force is because
A) their velocity is toward the center of the space station and their inertia tends to keep them moving outward.
B) the fictitious force is always in the direction of centripetal acceleration.
C) they are accelerating toward the center of the space station and inertia tends to keep them moving sideways.
D) their velocity is away from the center of the space station and their inertia tends to make them move in towards the center.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The correct answer is C because when a space station rotates, the people inside are accelerating toward the center due to the centripetal force. However, their inertia (the tendency of an object to resist changes in its state of motion) makes them feel as though they are being pushed outward, simulating gravity. This is a result of their bodies wanting to continue moving in a straight line (tangentially to the circle) while the station's rotation pulls them inward.

Some Engineers Have Suggested That We Can Simulate Gravity in Outer