Question

How many times higher could an astronaut jump on the Moon than on Earth if her takeoff speed is the same in both locations (gravitational acceleration on the Moon is about one-sixth of that on Earth)?

a) 1
b) 2
c) 3
d) 6

Answer 1

If the astronaut's takeoff speed is the same on the Moon and on Earth, and the gravitational acceleration on the Moon is one-sixth of that on Earth, then the astronaut could jump six times higher on the Moon than on Earth.

Step-by-step explanation:

If the astronaut's takeoff speed is the same on the Moon and on Earth, and the gravitational acceleration on the Moon is one-sixth of that on Earth, then the astronaut could jump six times higher on the Moon than on Earth.

This can be understood by considering the equation:

Vertical displacement = (Initial vertical velocity)^2 / (2 * gravitational acceleration)

Since the takeoff speed is the same in both locations, the initial vertical velocity is the same. However, since the gravitational acceleration on the Moon is one-sixth of that on Earth, the vertical displacement on the Moon will be six times greater than on Earth.

An astronaut could jump approximately six times higher on the Moon than on Earth if their takeoff speed is the same in both locations. This is because the gravitational acceleration on the Moon is about one-sixth of that on Earth.

Therefore, with the same takeoff speed and lower gravitational pull, the time to reach the maximum height and therefore the maximum height itself would be significantly increased on the Moon.