schwerelos

Schwerelos is the German adjective meaning weightless or free from weight. It is formed from schwer (heavy) and los (loose, free), and its noun form is Schwerelosigkeit, the state of lacking effective weight. In everyday language it can describe objects that appear to float or sensations of lightness; in scientific contexts it denotes a regime in which gravity is present but weight is not felt due to the absence of supporting contact forces.

In physics, weightlessness does not mean the total absence of gravity. Rather, it describes the condition in which the normal force acting on a body is zero, so the weight is not felt. This occurs in orbital flight, spacecraft in free fall, or during short periods of microgravity created by parabolic flights or drop-tower experiments. Although gravity acts on objects in these situations, there is no contact support, so everything appears to float relative to its surroundings.

Beyond technical usage, schwerelos can appear in metaphorical expressions in culture and media to convey ease, spontaneity, or a sense of floating motion. It is common in German-language discussions of space, science education, and experiences that simulate weightlessness for observers or participants.