How does a person’s weight on the Moon compare to weight on Earth?

How does a person’s weight on the Moon compare to weight on Earth?

• A. A person's weight on the moon is much lower due to the moon's lower gravitational force.
• B. A person's weight on the moon is higher due to less atmosphere.
• C. Weight remains the same on the Moon as on Earth.
• D. Weight increases with less distance from Earth.

Answer: (A)

Weight is the gravitational force acting on your mass, so it depends on local gravity: F = m g. Your mass stays the same wherever you are, but the Moon’s surface gravity is about 1.6 m/s^2, roughly one-sixth of Earth’s 9.8 m/s^2. That means the weight you feel on the Moon is about six times smaller than on Earth. For example, someone with a 70 kg mass would weigh ~686 N on Earth but ~112 N on the Moon. The atmosphere doesn’t change weight, and distance from Earth isn’t what sets your weight there—the Moon’s own gravity does. So the Moon’s weaker gravity makes your weight much lower.

Weight is the gravitational force acting on your mass, so it depends on local gravity: F = m g. Your mass stays the same wherever you are, but the Moon’s surface gravity is about 1.6 m/s^2, roughly one-sixth of Earth’s 9.8 m/s^2. That means the weight you feel on the Moon is about six times smaller than on Earth. For example, someone with a 70 kg mass would weigh ~686 N on Earth but ~112 N on the Moon. The atmosphere doesn’t change weight, and distance from Earth isn’t what sets your weight there—the Moon’s own gravity does. So the Moon’s weaker gravity makes your weight much lower.