Question

The acceleration due to gravity on the Moon is 1.6 m/s2 and on Mars it is 3.7 m/s2. How does the weight of an astronaut on the moon compare to that of an astronaut on Earth or Mars.(1 point) Responses the astronaut weight the most on Mars and the least on Earth the astronaut weight the most on Mars and the least on Earth the astronaut weight the most on the Moon and the least on Mars the astronaut weight the most on the Moon and the least on Mars the astronaut weights the most on the Moon and the least on Mars the astronaut weights the most on the Moon and the least on Mars the astronaut weights the most on Earth and the least on the Moon

Answer 1

To compare the weight of an astronaut on the Moon, Mars, and Earth, we first need to understand that weight is the force exerted by gravity on an object, and it can be calculated with the formula:

\[ \text{Weight} = \text{mass} \times g \]

where \( g \) is the acceleration due to gravity.

1. On Earth, the acceleration due to gravity is approximately \( 9.8 \, \text{m/s}^2 \).
2. On the Moon, \( g \) is \( 1.6 \, \text{m/s}^2 \).
3. On Mars, \( g \) is \( 3.7 \, \text{m/s}^2 \).

If we consider an astronaut with mass \( m \), their weight would be calculated as follows:

- Weight on Earth: \( W_\text{Earth} = m \times 9.8 \)
- Weight on the Moon: \( W_\text{Moon} = m \times 1.6 \)
- Weight on Mars: \( W_\text{Mars} = m \times 3.7 \)

Since \( 9.8 \, \text{m/s}^2 \) is greater than \( 3.7 \, \text{m/s}^2 \) (Mars) and \( 1.6 \, \text{m/s}^2 \) (Moon), we can conclude that:

- The astronaut weighs the most on Earth.
- The astronaut weighs more on Mars than on the Moon but less than on Earth.

Therefore, the correct response is:
**The astronaut weighs the most on Earth and the least on the Moon.**