Question

How does the moon's gravity differ from the earth's?

Answer 1

Hint: The gravity of a planet largely depends upon its mass and density.
Density is how much mass is present in a unit volume; density tells us how compactly the mass is present in a particular area and more the mass more will be the matter.

Complete step by step answer:
Generally, Gravity is the invisible force that pulls two masses together. Mass means the amount of matter in a substance. Density is a measure of how much mass is concentrated in a given volume (space).
According to Sir Isaac Newton - as the mass of an object increases, the gravitational attraction of that object also increases.
The Moon has considerably lesser mass as compared to the Earth. Not only mass, its density is only about 60% as compared to the density of the Earth.
So, as we discussed earlier the gravitational force of a body depends upon its mass and density as well and now as we have discussed that the mass of the moon is way too less than the earth and its density is also about 60% of that of the earth so its gravity will also be lesser than earth.
The gravitational force of the moon is equal to $\dfrac{1}{6}$ the gravity of the earth.

Hence, Moon's density is less than Earth's, the radius is also less. That is why the gravity of the lunar surface is $\dfrac{1}{6}$ of the gravity of the earth.

Note:
• The gravitational force of the body depends upon the mass and the density of the body.
• The mass of the moon is too less as compared to the earth as the moon is the natural satellite to earth.
• The density of the moon is also about the sixth part of the earth.
• The gravitational force of the moon is thus $\dfrac{1}{6}$ of the gravity of earth.