Why does the moon exert less gravitational force than Earth?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: B
Explanation
Correct Answer:
It has less mass
Explanation:
According to Newton's law of universal gravitation, the gravitational force exerted by an object depends directly on its mass (). Since the mass of the Moon is significantly less than that of the Earth (about 1% of Earth's mass), its gravitational pull is also much weaker (about one-sixth of Earth's gravity). While size does correlate with mass generally, mass is the fundamental physical property that determines gravitational pull.
Key Points:
The surface gravity of the Moon is roughly , compared to Earth's . Because of this lower gravity, astronauts can jump much higher and feel much lighter on the Moon.
Important Questions and Answers:
Question: What is the approximate fraction of the Moon's gravity compared to Earth's gravity?
Answer: One-sixth (1/6).
Question: Which fundamental physical property primarily determines the strength of an astronomical body's gravitational field?
Answer: Mass.