Question

Which statement BEST compares gravity on the Moon to gravity on Earth?

a) Gravity on the Moon is stronger because it is closer to the Sun.
b) Gravity on the Moon is stronger because the Moon is smaller than Earth.
c) Gravity on the Moon is weaker because the Moon has less mass than Earth.
d) Gravity on the Moon is weaker because the Moon has less atmosphere than Earth

Answer 1

Gravity on the Moon is weaker because it has less mass compared to Earth, leading to a weaker gravitational pull. While an individual's mass remains constant, their weight would be less on the Moon due to this reduced gravity. so, option C is the correct answer.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statement that best compares gravity on the Moon to gravity on Earth is: Gravity on the Moon is weaker because the Moon has less mass than Earth. The gravitational force an object exerts is directly proportional to its mass. Since the Moon has significantly less mass than Earth, the gravitational pull on the Moon's surface is weaker.

An individual's mass would be the same on both the Earth and the Moon because mass does not change with location. However, one's weight, which is the force exerted by gravity on mass, would be less on the Moon due to its weaker gravitational force compared to Earth's stronger gravity. The acceleration due to gravity on the Moon is approximately 1.625 m/s², much less than Earth's approximate 9.80 m/s².