Gravity on other worlds

Answer Key - Grade 11 Science Worksheet - Challenge Me

Circle the best answer, or write your answer on the line.

1. 1.

   Venus: mass 4.87 × 10²⁴ kg, diameter 12104 km. Earth: 5.97 × 10²⁴ kg, 12,756 km, g = 9.8 m/s². To the nearest tenth, what is g on Venus, Ari?

   8.9 m/s²
2. 2.

   Mercury: mass 0.33 × 10²⁴ kg, diameter 4879 km. Earth: 5.97 × 10²⁴ kg, 12,756 km, g = 9.8 m/s². To the nearest tenth, what is g on Mercury, Bo?

   3.7 m/s²
3. 3.

   The Moon: mass 0.073 × 10²⁴ kg, diameter 3475 km. Earth: 5.97 × 10²⁴ kg, 12,756 km, g = 9.8 m/s². To the nearest tenth, what is g on the Moon, Esme?

   1.6 m/s²

4. Read this first

   Four planets (NASA planetary fact sheet)

   World	Mass (10²⁴ kg)	Diameter (km)	g (m/s²)
   Earth	5.97	12756	9.8
   Venus	4.87	12104	8.9
   Mars	0.642	6792	3.7
   Jupiter	1898	142984	23.1

5. 4.

   Using the table, Jupiter has about 318 times Earth's mass. Why is its g only about 2.4 times Earth's, Jun?

   • Its g should be 318 times; the table is wrong
   • Jupiter spins too slowly to hold things
   • Its radius is about 11 times Earth's
6. 5.

   Using the table, Venus has about 82% of Earth's mass and 95% of its diameter. How does its g compare with Earth's, Kira?

   • A little less: 8.9 against 9.8 m/s²
   • More than Earth's, since Venus is warmer
   • About 82% of Earth's, like its mass
7. 6.

   Using the table, which planet's g is closest to Earth's, Luz?

   • Venus
   • Mars
   • Jupiter
8. 7.

   Milo says a rover loses mass when it lands on the Moon. Agree or disagree?

   • Disagree: only its weight changes
   • Agree: it weighs less, so it has less mass
   • Agree: the Moon pulls some of its mass away
9. 8.

   Noah says a planet with twice Earth's mass must have twice Earth's surface gravity. Agree or disagree?

   • Agree: radius has no effect on g
   • Agree: surface gravity depends on mass alone
   • Disagree: it also depends on the radius
10. 9.

    A model world has 4 times Earth's mass and 2 times its radius. What is its surface gravity, Ren?

    • 9.8 m/s², the same as Earth's
    • 19.6 m/s²
    • 39.2 m/s²
11. 10.

    A model world is made of the same rock as Earth, packed just as tightly, with half Earth's radius. How does its g compare, Tala?

    • One-eighth of Earth's
    • Half of Earth's
    • 4 times Earth's