If a person weighs 500 N on Earth what would they weigh on the moon?
1/6 as much
To determine the weight of a person on the moon, we need to understand the concept of gravitational force and the difference in the gravitational pull between the Earth and the moon.
The weight of an object is the force exerted on it due to gravity. On Earth, the acceleration due to gravity is approximately 9.8 m/s². So if a person weighs 500 N on Earth, it means that the force of gravity acting on their mass is 500 Newtons.
However, the moon has a weaker gravitational pull compared to Earth. The acceleration due to gravity on the moon is about 1/6th of that on Earth, approximately 1.6 m/s².
To calculate the weight of the person on the moon, we can use the ratio of the moon's gravitational acceleration to that of Earth.
Weight on the Moon = Weight on Earth * (Acceleration due to Moon's gravity / Acceleration due to Earth's gravity)
Weight on the Moon = 500 N * (1.6 m/s² / 9.8 m/s²)
Weight on the Moon ≈ 81.6 N
Therefore, if a person weighs 500 N on Earth, they would weigh approximately 81.6 N on the moon.