Gravitygevoelige

Gravitygevoelige is a Dutch adjective meaning "sensitive to gravity" and is used to describe systems, processes, or organisms that respond to gravitational forces or to a gravitational field. The term is a direct calque of the English expression gravity-sensitive and appears in scientific and technical contexts as a general descriptor when more specific terminology is not available.

In biology, gravity sensitivity underpins gravitropism, the directional growth response of plant roots and shoots to gravity. Plant cells, such as statocytes, detect gravity and, through signal transduction pathways, influence growth orientation. In the mammalian inner ear, gravity sensitivity is provided by gravity-detecting structures that respond to linear acceleration, contributing to balance and spatial orientation.

In physics and engineering, gravity-sensitive devices measure orientation or changes in position relative to Earth's gravitational field. Accelerometers and gravimeters rely on gravity sensitivity to determine tilt, motion, or local variations in gravity.

In space biology and physiology, researchers study how microgravity or altered gravity affects cellular processes, development, and behavior, often using gravity-sensitive readouts to compare with conditions on Earth.

Usage notes: Gravitygevoelige is typically used attributively with a noun (gravitygevoelige cellen, gravitygevoelige receptoren) and agrees in number and gender with that noun. In more specific contexts, Dutch terms such as gravitropie (gravitropism) or vestibulair zwaartekrachtsensing may be used to convey particular mechanisms.