# You're floating relatively still in microgravity begin masturbating. Trajectory? (M or F) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 19, 2013, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-floating-relatively-still-in-microgravity-begin-masturbating-trajectory-m-or-f/674262 "2013-11-19T15:34:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-floating-relatively-still-in-microgravity-begin-masturbating-trajectory-m-or-f/674262/1 "2013-11-19T15:34:30Z")
See subject. Jesus I’ve been weird about sex and physics lately. But so has Cecil. Repeatedly, as we see from [today’s Classic.](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1042/has-anyone-ever-had-sex-in-space) ::note to self: proofread heds.:: Trajectory of self is question. ---
**Author:** ![Artemis\_Tardis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4bbf92/32.png) [@Artemis\_Tardis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Artemis_Tardis)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-floating-relatively-still-in-microgravity-begin-masturbating-trajectory-m-or-f/674262/2 "2013-11-19T16:22:07Z")
I think that depending on the quality of your orgasm you might start spinning a bit. Probably you won’t fly back, as you would ejaculate only a few grams of sperm. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-floating-relatively-still-in-microgravity-begin-masturbating-trajectory-m-or-f/674262/3 "2013-11-19T17:18:30Z")
There would certainly be recoil, but it’d be so small as to be basically undetectable. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-floating-relatively-still-in-microgravity-begin-masturbating-trajectory-m-or-f/674262/4 "2013-11-19T17:39:01Z")
But how about as a result of the arm/hand motions? Honestly, I flashed on rotation. What might a simple mechanical/kinematic model look like for analysis? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-floating-relatively-still-in-microgravity-begin-masturbating-trajectory-m-or-f/674262/5 "2013-11-19T17:50:26Z")
I heard an interview with [Sunita Williams,](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunita_Williams) a woman who spent 5 months on the ISS. I’ll bet she could answer the OP’s question. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-floating-relatively-still-in-microgravity-begin-masturbating-trajectory-m-or-f/674262/6 "2013-11-19T22:21:04Z")
> [@](#): > > But how about as a result of the arm/hand motions? Honestly, I flashed on rotation. They won’t do anything, as long as they remain attached. Well, ignoring atmospheric effects, at least, but those are probably a lot more significant than the thrust from the ejaculate. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-floating-relatively-still-in-microgravity-begin-masturbating-trajectory-m-or-f/674262/7 "2013-11-19T22:28:18Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Well, ignoring atmospheric effects, at least, but those are probably a lot more significant than the thrust from the ejaculate. You’ve obviously never witnessed _my_ ejaculate. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-floating-relatively-still-in-microgravity-begin-masturbating-trajectory-m-or-f/674262/8 "2013-11-20T00:02:18Z")
Of course not; I left my microscope at the lab. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/youre-floating-relatively-still-in-microgravity-begin-masturbating-trajectory-m-or-f/674262/9 "2013-11-20T00:17:30Z")
What about all the heavy breathing. Would “in” cancel “out”? And I’m assuming we’re not doing this experiment wearing a space suit, so any effects will be very temporary.