Question

multiple choice 1 point
if your mass is 45 kg, the gravitational force between you and earth is about 440 n. what happens to that force on the moon, which is much farther away?
○ it stays the same
○ it doubles
○ it becomes stronger
○ it becomes about 0.12 n, much weaker

Explanation:

The gravitational force formula is \( F = G\frac{m_1m_2}{r^2} \). The Moon's mass is much less than Earth's, and its distance from Earth is much greater than Earth's radius. When calculating the gravitational force between a person and the Moon (vs. Earth), the Moon's smaller mass and larger distance lead to a much weaker force. The Earth - person force is ~440N (weight, \( F = mg \), \( g\approx9.8m/s^2 \), \( 45\times9.8\approx441N \)). The Moon - person force is much smaller, around 0.12N. So the force becomes much weaker.

Answer:

It becomes about 0.12 N, much weaker