When you step on a weighing scale at noon, Earth pulls you downward and the overhead Sun pulls you upward. The reason the Sun's pull doesn't decrease your weight at noon is because
A)the Sun's pull on you is negligibly small.
B)the weighing scale is calibrated only in Earth weight.
C)you, the scale, and Earth are in free fall (in orbit)around the Sun.
D)the Sun's pull is cancelled by the gravitation of other celestial bodies.
E)of tidal effects in the "solid" Earth.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

At noon, when you step on the weighing scale, you, the scale, and Earth are all in free fall around the Sun. This means that the force of gravity exerted by the Sun on you and Earth is balanced by the centrifugal force of Earth's motion around the Sun. As a result, your weight remains the same as it would be on Earth's surface.

When You Step on a Weighing Scale at Noon, Earth