Artificial Gravity in Interstellar - Was it a plothole?

Anoop Kumar

Anoop Kumar

@anoop-kumar-GDGRCn Oct 22, 2024

If you understand the gravity created by spinning spacecraft which is kind of following in movie Interstellar and 2001-A Space Odyssey
[​IMG]
Here is explanation about it. <a href="https://www.wired.com/2014/10/physics-spinning-spacecraft-interstellar/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">The Physics of a Spinning Spacecraft in Interstellar | WIRED</a>
Here is spacecraft of Interstellar
[​IMG]

But my question is aircraft is spinning about only one axis, let say Y axis. then what about X axis?
Won't people will will slip about it if center of mass is not aligned to Y axis.
The way movie has shown they ware feeling totally normal, so to hold them only friction is the only force to hold on X axis.
Any thoughts?

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  • Ramani Aswath

    Ramani Aswath

    @ramani-VR4O43 Dec 24, 2014

    Anoop Kumarspinning about only one axis, let say Y axis. then what about X axis?

    Any spinning object is a gyro. Its axis of rotation is invariant in space. An object spinning in the Y axis will remain so and will not allow spin in another axis. Instead the object will precess.

  • Anoop Kumar

    Anoop Kumar

    @anoop-kumar-GDGRCn Dec 24, 2014

    I agree sir, (I just took Y axis as reference) my question is if it is rotating in Y axis. Gravity will be created along Y axis only, right. There is no gravity in X axis.
    Let say if there is no friction. Even a slight disbalance will throw you out along X axis.
    As a gyro it will try to balance it out but, as object (person) is not attached to system they will slip out.
    Am I right here?

  • Ramani Aswath

    Ramani Aswath

    @ramani-VR4O43 Dec 24, 2014

    Consider the Earth. Its gravity is towards the centre all over the surface. Because of the 40000 km circumference we do not feel it. Suppose the Earth was just 6 meters diameter. Two people standing with their feet 2 meters apart will have their heads 3 meters apart. Things get exaggerated in the small confines of the space station. The artificial gravity always act on the inner circumference of the station like on earth towards earth's centre.
    On earth also there is no gravity in the other axes. Things do not move away in the horizontal direction if given a push. On earth also a perso putting a foot on a banana peel takes a toss.

    Of course the magnitude of the gravity will be much less so things look a bit odd. One has to adjust.