A Woman's Weight on Another Planet
Understanding Weight on Different Planets
Weight is a fundamental concept in physics that can change based on the gravitational force acting on an object. In this scenario, we will explore how a woman's weight on Earth differs from her weight on another planet with a different acceleration due to gravity.
A woman weighs 588 N on the earth. If the acceleration due to gravity on another planet is 13.0 m/s2, then her weight on this planet would be:
The woman's weight on the other planet would be 780 N. The weight of an object changes when the gravitational force acting on it changes, such as when moving to another planet.
Explanation
In physics, weight is defined as the force acting on an object due to gravity. It is calculated using the formula: Weight = mass * gravity. The weight of an object can change if the gravitational force acting on it changes, such as when moving to another planet. Here, the woman's weight on Earth is 588 N. On Earth, the acceleration due to gravity is approximately 9.8 m/s². Therefore, her mass can be calculated as Mass = Weight/Gravity = 588 N/9.8 m/s² ≈ 60 kg.
On the other planet, the gravitational acceleration is given to be 13.0 m/s². Hence, her weight on the new planet would be Weight_New = mass * gravity_new = 60 kg * 13.0 m/s² = 780 N. Thus, the correct answer is C) 780 N.
Why does the weight of an object change when moving to a planet with a different acceleration due to gravity? The weight of an object changes because weight is directly proportional to the gravitational force acting on that object. When the acceleration due to gravity changes, the force acting on the object changes, leading to a different weight measurement.