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Why is the weight of an object on the moon 1/6 th its weight o... - Science
Why is the weight of an object on the moon 1/6 th its weight on the earth?
The weight of an object on the moon is 1/6th its weight on the earth because:
Lesser Mass and Radius: The mass of the moon is approximately 1/100 times the mass of the earth, and its radius is approximately 1/4 times the radius of the earth.
Weaker Gravitational Pull: Since gravitational force depends on mass and radius (
F = G\frac{Mm}{R^2}), the moon exerts a much weaker force of attraction than the earth.Result: Calculating with these values shows that the gravitational force (acceleration due to gravity) on the moon is about one-sixth (1/6) of that on the earth. Therefore, the weight of an object on the moon is 1/6th its weight on the earth.