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There exists a universal law of gravitation discovered by Newton which governs the force between any two masses.

The size of the force is in proportion to the product of the masses divided by the square of the distance between the centres of the masses.

Take an apple mass m at a distance R from the centre of the Earth mass M. The force (gravitational force aka weight) is proportional to (m x M)/R2. On the Moon mass N radius S, the force is proportional to (m x N)/S2. Because the Moon is much less massive than the Earth the ratio of these two forces is about 8 to 1 (check this fact) even though S is much smaller than R.

The acceleration of a body released under gravity is the force divided by the mass ( a= F/m) : this is F=ma restated and experimental law called Newtons second law

and this is a constant irrsspective of the mass of the body- the mass m cancels out because mM/R2 divided by m is proiportional to M/R2. For Earth and Moon the accelerations due to gravity are in proportion of M/R2 to N/S2 and this ratio is about 8 to 1 as I recall.

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Why is acceleration due to gravity less on moon?

Acceleration due to gravity is less on the Moon compared to Earth because the Moon has less mass than Earth. The force of gravity is directly proportional to the mass of the celestial body, so a smaller mass like the Moon results in weaker gravity. This causes objects to fall more slowly on the Moon than on Earth.


Is the acceleration on the moon less or more powerful than on earth?

Gravity on the moon is lower than earth since it had lesser mass. The falling object would accelerate at slower speed on the moon compare to earth.


What happens to your mass when on the moon?

Nothing!!! You do NOT loose mass. You have the same amount of matter. However, because the Moon's gravitational acceleration is less than on Earth. you will weigh less. Remember Newton's Second Law of Universal Dynamics ; Force is directly propotional to acceleration(gravity). F = ma 'm; remains constant on Earth and Moon. However, 'a' is much less on the Moon , so 'F' (Force) your weight is less on the Moon.


Why do astronauts weigh less on the Moon than on the Earth?

Astronauts weigh less on the Moon than on Earth because the Moon has less mass and gravity than Earth. The gravitational force on the Moon is about 1/6th that of Earth, so objects (including astronauts) weigh less on the Moon due to this weaker gravity.


Astronauts weigh less on the moon than on earth because?

while the mass of the astronaut doesn't change the acceleration of gravity on the moon is much less than that on earth. Since weight is a measure of force (N)=m(kg)xa(m/(ss)), a decreased gravity on the moon would mean a decreased weight

Related Questions

Why is acceleration due to gravity less on moon?

Acceleration due to gravity is less on the Moon compared to Earth because the Moon has less mass than Earth. The force of gravity is directly proportional to the mass of the celestial body, so a smaller mass like the Moon results in weaker gravity. This causes objects to fall more slowly on the Moon than on Earth.


Is the acceleration on the moon less or more powerful than on earth?

Gravity on the moon is lower than earth since it had lesser mass. The falling object would accelerate at slower speed on the moon compare to earth.


What happens to your mass when on the moon?

Nothing!!! You do NOT loose mass. You have the same amount of matter. However, because the Moon's gravitational acceleration is less than on Earth. you will weigh less. Remember Newton's Second Law of Universal Dynamics ; Force is directly propotional to acceleration(gravity). F = ma 'm; remains constant on Earth and Moon. However, 'a' is much less on the Moon , so 'F' (Force) your weight is less on the Moon.


How is the Moon's gravity composed to earth?

The acceleration of gravity on or near the surface of the moon, and therefore the weight of objects located there, is about 83.5 percent less than on Earth. An object on the surface of the moon weighs about 1/6 of what it weighs on Earth.


Why is the mass of an object same on the moon as it is on earth but the weight is different?

Mass is the amount of matter in an object. It does not change based on gravity. Weight is the force an object exerts 'downward' due to gravitational acceleration. Force = (mass)*(acceleration). Acceleration due to gravity is less on the Moon than on Earth.


Why is the gravity on the moon less than on the earth?

because the moon has less mass then earth


Why do thing weigh less on the moon?

The moon has weaker gravity than Earth does.


Why do astronauts weigh less on the Moon than on the Earth?

Astronauts weigh less on the Moon than on Earth because the Moon has less mass and gravity than Earth. The gravitational force on the Moon is about 1/6th that of Earth, so objects (including astronauts) weigh less on the Moon due to this weaker gravity.


Why is there less or no gravity on the moon then there is on earth?

There is gravity on the moon. It is about on sixth what it is on Earth. This is because the moon has less mass than Earth does.


Astronauts weigh less on the moon than on earth because?

while the mass of the astronaut doesn't change the acceleration of gravity on the moon is much less than that on earth. Since weight is a measure of force (N)=m(kg)xa(m/(ss)), a decreased gravity on the moon would mean a decreased weight


Why is a persons weight different on earth than on the moon?

The gravity is less on the Moon, because the Moon is smaller than earth; it has less mass, and therefore "sucks" less than the earth. Weight is gravity times mass, you have the same mass on Earth and on the Moon (and in space), but weigh less on the moon.


Why does an object have different weight on the moon than it does on earth?

the earth and moon have different values for the acceleration due to gravity.