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Physics Section A :
Mass and Weight Part 3 : Properties The Moon's Mass This is responsible for the gravitational pull of the Moon. The Moon is approx. ¼ of the Earth's diameter and so we could assume that its pull of gravity should be approx. ¼ of the Earth's. However, from experiments performed on the Moon's surface, we know that its centre is not made of as much nickel and iron as the Earth's : as a consequence, the pull of the centre of the Moon is 1/6 of the Earth's gravity. Imagine the Olympics taking place on the Moon!! Look at the following site : The Moon's Gravity Galileo (Galileo biography) performed an experiment from the top of the Leaning Tower of Pisa ; where two balls of different masses were dropped. These two balls hit the ground at the same time. Neil Armstrong repeated Galileo's experiment on the Moon's surface. He dropped a hammer and a large feather, an ostrich feather, I think. Since there is no atmosphere and therefore no air resistance; the feather and hammer hit the Moon's surface at the same time! |
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