When you jump, you exert a pushing force against the ground. Gravity pulls you back down. Why can a person jump higher on the moon than on Earth?
A.) A person has less mass on the moon than on Earth.
B.) A person weighs more on the moon than on Earth.
C.) Pushing forces are stronger on the moon than on Earth.
D.) The gravitational force on the moon is weaker than on Earth.
D. The gravitational force on the moon is weaker than on Earth.
The correct answer is D.) The gravitational force on the moon is weaker than on Earth.
When you jump, you exert a pushing force against the ground, which propels you upwards. Gravity acts as a force that pulls you back down.
The strength of gravity depends on the mass of the two objects involved and the distance between them. On Earth, the mass of the Earth and the distance from its surface to its center determine the strength of gravity. The Moon, being much smaller and having less mass than Earth, exerts a weaker gravitational force.
When you jump on the moon, the weaker gravitational force means that it doesn't pull you down as strongly as on Earth. Therefore, you can overcome the gravitational pull and jump higher. On Earth, the stronger gravity makes it more difficult for you to jump as high because it pulls you back down more strongly.