In this educational video, Dr. James O’Donoghue, a planetary scientist based in Japan, demonstrates how gravity works on different planets. Using the relative velocities and rotational rates of planets, O’Donoghue shows how gravity on Pluto and other distant planets works. To see more about gravity, check out his other videos. Below is a list of some of the planets and their gravity.
Venus
What is Gravity on Venus? The second planet from the Sun, Venus was named after the Roman goddess of love. The planet is also the brightest natural object in Earth’s night sky, and it can cast shadows. During daylight hours, it is visible to the naked eye. If you look closely enough, you can actually see the planet by its shadow! Learn more about the concept of gravity on Venus below. Afterward, you can decide for yourself if gravity is a factor in a relationship with Venus.
The surface of Venus is dominated by more than 1,000 volcanoes, some of which are larger than 20 kilometers. Volcanic centers on Venus were resurfaced about three to five billion years ago and have since remained in place. The dense atmosphere prevents visual observation of the surface of Venus, and the presence of sulfuric acid in the air makes the planet extremely hot. Although the atmosphere is hot, scientists have not yet managed to make contact with microbes on the surface, which is a good sign that gravity on Venus is similar to Earth.
As with all objects in the Earth’s atmosphere, the acceleration of Venus due to gravity is very high, with a force of 1 Newton per kilogram. However, compared to Earth, Venus is very dense and the mass of the planet is only 81.5% of its own. However, the acceleration is still very high, and the acceleration caused by gravity is nearly nine times greater. It is easy to calculate the acceleration due to gravity on Venus.
Mars
The fourth planet from the Sun, Mars is also the second smallest planet in the Solar System, but larger than Mercury. Carrying the name of the Roman god of war, Mars is often called the “Red Planet” due to its resemblance to our Earth. The Red Planet’s gravity is not entirely understood, and there are many unknown factors. The planet’s gravity, however, is an important part of its science.
The gravity on Mars is 3.711 m/s2 on the planet’s surface. Since the planet is roughly four-tenths the size of Earth, its gravitational potential is much smaller than that of Earth. This makes gravity on Mars a vital factor in the safety of manned missions to Mars. But how does one measure it? Here are some equations to help you calculate Mars’ gravity:
First, consider the effects of gravity on human health. Because Mars’ gravity is one-third the strength of Earth’s, long-term exposure to such low gravity could be detrimental to the astronauts’ health. Astronauts exposed to microgravity lose muscle mass, bone density, organ function, and eyesight. Hence, understanding the effects of Mars gravity is an important first step towards colonizing Mars. Once the first manned missions have been conducted, long-term exposure to Mars’ gravity will be a major aspect of the future.
Jupiter
If you’re interested in planets and their gravitational forces, gravity on Jupiter may be an excellent place to start. The weight of a person on Jupiter is 2.34 times as much as it is on Earth. It is also much more dense than Saturn, but the size difference is too small to be directly proportional to its mass. The following are some activities to help your children explore the gravity on Jupiter. You can use a simple scale to measure your weight on different planets, and then compare the results to determine which planets have the most and least gravity.
In the 1990s, the gravitational pull of Jupiter was responsible for torn pieces of a comet into the planet. This collision marked the first time humans have seen two extraterrestrial bodies colliding. The comet had been captured by Jupiter around 20 to 30 years before the impact. The asteroid had orbited Jupiter for about twenty to thirty years before it reached its Roche limit in 1992. The tidal forces of Jupiter broke apart the asteroid, resulting in fragments as large as 2 km. Those fragments hit the planet’s surface at over 60 km/h.
Saturn
If you’ve ever wondered why Jupiter and Saturn are so close in mass, you may have been confused when you learned that Saturn has a higher gravity. Saturn is a gas giant and its mass is 95 times more than that of the Earth. Because of its hydrogen composition, it has a lower density than Earth and has a similar surface gravity to the Earth. While there is some similarity between the two planets’ gravity, it’s just a coincidence.
It is hard to determine the rotation period of Saturn’s magnetic field, but scientists have estimated it to be ten hours, 33 minutes, and 38 seconds. This period is different from that of Earth’s interior and clouds. In addition, the magnetic field on Saturn is highly symmetric around its rotational axis. This allows scientists to estimate the wind velocities in different areas of the planet. Saturn’s magnetic field is rooted in its metallic-hydrogen outer core.
The most significant advances in the knowledge of Saturn’s gravity came from the Voyager and Cassini spacecraft. These probes visited Saturn in 1979 and 1982, and the Huygens probe landed on Titan’s surface in 2004. Both missions made advances in our understanding of Saturn, and they provided a new way to observe the planet. The first mission to the Saturn system was conducted in 1564 by Italian astronomer Galileo.
Earth
How does the acceleration of gravity change with distance from the Earth’s center affect a body on Earth? The acceleration of gravity, g, varies with latitude, altitude, and geological structure. Here are some simple ways to understand the effects of location on g. Try the Gravitational Fields Interactive. It’s part of the Physics Interactives section. You can also explore the acceleration of gravity by measuring g in your own neighborhood.
The force of gravity is constant on Earth, but the gravitational forces of other planets are different. A person on Earth would fall nine meters to the surface of Pluto, while an object on Pluto would fall 16 seconds to reach Earth’s surface. This difference in gravity is caused by the bodies’ mass, size, and density. The stronger the gravitational force is, the greater the distance a person would fall.
The Moon has a radius of 1737 km and a mass of 7.3477 x 1022 kg. The surface gravity of the Moon was measured by Apollo astronauts. It is estimated at 1.62 m/s2 and 0.1654 g. This difference in gravity can be significant. When you consider this, you can see how Earth’s gravity has affected the evolution of humanity. If a person wants to colonize a different planet, understanding how its gravity changes will be vital.
Black holes
If you’ve ever wondered how gravity affects different planets, you might find it difficult to believe that black holes can pull us in the same way. The problem is that gravity doesn’t originate inside black holes, but rather from the overall warping of spacetime outside the black hole. The Earth’s gravity is strong enough to stop you from falling towards it. So, you need to use a rocket as soon as possible to escape.
Whether this phenomenon is real isn’t known. But it’s possible to imagine the consequences. If you were to fall into a black hole, you would hit the singularity, a ball of almost infinite density. Anything that landed in that singularity would be destroyed. This is why many have considered the concept of wormholes – but it is unlikely to exist in reality. So, what exactly is a black hole?
A common myth about black holes is that they will swallow all matter within a certain radius. In actuality, they’re not a big enough object to swallow the matter in their surroundings, but they do act like massive stars. In fact, if the Sun were to become a black hole, the planets would continue to orbit around it. And, while this would be a terrible situation, scientists believe that black holes will ultimately cause the death of everything in their path.
Moon
Knowing the Gravity of the Moon on different planets is important, especially when planning manned missions and settlement. We evolved on Earth with one g of gravity, and knowing the gravity of other planets could mean the difference between life and death. It may also be fun to do some experiments in near-weightlessness. In fact, understanding the zero-gravity effect has been essential for space exploration and deep space missions, including the Moon.
The Moon has a radius of 1737 km and a mass of 7.3477 x 1022 kg. The Moon is slightly less massive than the Earth, with its surface gravity only being 1.6 meters per second. The moon’s gravity, however, is very different. Its gravitational pull is only a small fraction of Earth’s, which is the primary reason the Moon’s tides are so powerful.
While the Earth’s gravity pulls objects into its gravity well, the Moon’s weight is not the same everywhere. In fact, it’s possible that the Moon might even break apart, especially if it approaches Mars too closely. It’s possible to go on a moon trip to Mars, which can help you understand the gravity of the Moon on different planets. But how can you go on a mission to Mars with an unplanned lunar landing?