Final answer:
To find the pressure ratio when the cube is placed on Earth and on the moon, calculate the weight of the cube on Earth and on the moon. Then find the pressure ratio by dividing the force on Earth by the force on the moon. The pressure ratio is 4.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the pressure ratio when the cube is placed on Earth and on the moon, we first need to calculate the weight of the cube on both the Earth and the moon. The weight is given by the formula:
Weight = mass x acceleration due to gravity
On Earth, the acceleration due to gravity (g) is 9.8 m/s² and the mass of the cube is given as identical. Therefore, the weight of the cube on Earth is 2 x 9.8 = 19.6 N.
On the moon, the acceleration due to gravity (g) is (1/4) times that of Earth's gravity, which is (1/4) x 9.8 = 2.45 m/s². Again, the mass of the cube is identical. Therefore, the weight of the cube on the moon is 2 x 2.45 = 4.9 N.
The pressure is defined as force per unit area. Since the area of the cube remains the same on both Earth and the moon, the pressure ratio is:
Pressure ratio = (Force on Earth / Area) / (Force on Moon / Area) = (19.6 N) / (4.9 N) = 4.