The chart displays gravity-induced acceleration on four distinct planets. On which planet is a person located if their mass is 85.0 kg, and they experience a weight of 305 N?

Location | Acceleration due to gravity (m/s^2)
Mercury | 3.59
Venus | 8.87
Earth | 9.81
Mars | 3.77

1 answer

To find the planet on which a person weighing 305 N has a mass of 85.0 kg, we can use the formula for weight:

\[ \text{Weight} = \text{mass} \times \text{acceleration due to gravity} \]

Given:

  • Weight = 305 N
  • Mass = 85.0 kg

We can rearrange this formula to find the acceleration due to gravity on that planet:

\[ \text{acceleration due to gravity} = \frac{\text{Weight}}{\text{mass}} = \frac{305 , \text{N}}{85.0 , \text{kg}} \]

Now let's calculate it:

\[ \text{acceleration due to gravity} = \frac{305}{85.0} \approx 3.59 , \text{m/s}^2 \]

Now, we compare this value with the acceleration due to gravity on the given planets:

  • Mercury: 3.59 m/s²
  • Venus: 8.87 m/s²
  • Earth: 9.81 m/s²
  • Mars: 3.77 m/s²

Since the calculated acceleration due to gravity of approximately 3.59 m/s² matches that of Mercury, the person is located on Mercury.