The Pull of Gravity

Last Problem:

Do astronauts on the moon weigh the same as they do on the earth?

Answer:

No.

The surface of the moon’s gravitational pull is approximately one-sixth (1/6) that of the earth’s gravitational pull. This means astronauts on the moon will weigh 1/6th of what they will weigh when they are earth bound.

Today’s Problem:

A large stone is 100 times heavier than a small stone, but when dropped at the same time, they fall with the same acceleration (ignoring air resistance). This is a lesson we all learned in 5th grade.

Why doesn’t the large stone accelerate faster? Is it because of its weight, its energy, its surface area or its inertia perhaps?

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