Which body exerts the weakest gravitational force on the earth?

Answer 1

We keep getting these questions about one body 'exerting' gravitational force

on other bodies, and we have to emphasize again: That's the least helpful way

to think about it.

Gravitational force always involves two bodies. The strength of the force depends

on the mass of both bodies, the force acts along the line between the centers of

both bodies, and both bodies feel gravitational forces with the same strength.

Whatever force the earth 'exerts' on you that draws you toward it, you exert the

same force on the earth that draws the earth toward you.

The weakest pair of gravitational forces is the pair between the earth and the

smallest mass that's farthest away from the earth. So it has to be something like

the smallest piece of dust on a bookshelf on the farthest planet in orbit around the

farthest star on the far side of the farthest galaxy from us.

Answer 2

Although Mercury, Venus, and Mars are smaller, the planet Neptune is much farther from Earth and will exert the least gravitational influence. Even when it is at its closest, it pulls less than half of Mercury, and this is less than 1/1000th the pull of the Moon.

(*the five "dwarf planets" do all exert even less influence)

Answer 3

Neptune.