Question

[+]
7. An astronaut has a mass of 65 kg on Earth, where the gravitational field strength is 10 N/kg.
(a) Calculate the astronaut's weight on Earth.
weight on Earth =
R
[2]
(b) Complete the following sentence.
force between
The astronaut's weight on Earth is the
the astronaut and ...........
(c) The astronaut undertakes a Moon landing. On the Moon the gravitational field strength is 1.6
N/kg.
(i) State the astronaut's mass on the Moon.
mass =
(ii) Calculate the weight of the astronaut on the Moon.
weight on Moon =
[2]​

Answer 1

(a). Given:

Quantity of matter possessed by an astronaut on the earth = 65 Kg

Gravitational acceleration on Earth (g) = 10N/Kg

To find:

Weight on Earth =?

Solution:

• Applying formula for the calculation of the weight on earth in newtons:

   => Weight on earth = mass × gravitational acceleration

   => w = mass × gravitational acceleration

   => w = 65 Kg × 10N/Kg

   => w = 650 N

therefore, the weight of the astronaut on earth is = 650 N.

(b). The suitable answer for the above-given sentence is:

The weight possessed by an astronaut on the Earth is the gravitational force between the astronaut and the Earth.

(c). (i) The quantity of matter possessed by an astronaut on the Moon is:

• The mass of an astronaut on the Moon is the same as the mass on Earth.

• This is because mass is a scalar quantity and it is constant everywhere and is not influenced by the gravitational field strength.

• Therefore, the mass of an astronaut on the Moon is 65 Kg.

(ii)

Given:

Gravitational acceleration on the Moon (g) = 1.6N/Kg

To find:

Weight of an astronaut on the Moon =?

Solution:

• The weight acting on an astronaut on the Moon can be calculated as follow:

   => Weight on Moon = mass × gravitational field strength

   => w = mass×gravitational acceleration

   => w = 65 Kg × 1.6N/Kg

   => w = 104 N

therefore, the weight possessed by an astronaut on the Moon is 104 N.