Answer:
The decrease in the downward force that a mass of iron can exert on the moon versus the force it exerts on earth is due to:
- The force of gravity on Earth is greater than the force of gravity on the moon.
Explanation:
To recognize the calculation within the statement, you must know that the Newton unit is equal to:
- Newton = (Kilogram meter) / second ^ 2
And that the gravities of the Earth and the Moon are:
- Earth gravity = 9.807 m / s ^ 2
- Moon gravity = 1.63 m / s ^ 2
Finally, you must know the force formula (since we are talking about a descending force):
- Force = mass acceleration (gravity is a measure of acceleration)
Since the mass in both cases is the same (10 kilograms), the variation in acceleration will provide different values of descending force, as shown below, replacing the values:
- Downward force on Earth = 10 Kg 9,807 m / s ^ 2 = 98.07 Kg m / s ^ 2 = 98.07 Newtons.
- Downward force on the Moon = 10 Kg 1.63 m / s ^ 2 = 16.3 Kg m / s ^ 2 = 16.3 Newtons.
As you can see, when it comes to force, the less acceleration (in this case less gravity), the lower the downward force will be with a mass of equal weight.
