If a rock is brought from the surface of the moon to the earth, thena)...
If a rock is brought from the surface of the moon to the earth, its weight will change but not its mass. Mass is a invariant physical quantity whereas weight of a body (w = mg) is variable as the value of acceleration due to gravity (g) changes.
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If a rock is brought from the surface of the moon to the earth, thena)...
Answer:
When a rock is brought from the surface of the moon to the Earth, its weight will change but not its mass. The correct answer is option 'B'.
Explanation:
1. Distinction between Mass and Weight:
Before explaining the answer, it is important to understand the distinction between mass and weight.
- Mass: Mass is a fundamental property of matter and it is a measure of the amount of matter contained in an object. Mass remains constant regardless of the location or the gravitational field.
- Weight: Weight is the force with which an object is attracted towards the center of the Earth (or any other celestial body) due to gravity. Weight depends on the mass of the object and the gravitational field it is in.
2. Effect of Gravity on Weight:
The weight of an object depends on the gravitational field it is in. The gravitational field on the surface of the Moon is about 1/6th of the gravitational field on the surface of the Earth. This means that the Moon's gravitational pull on an object is approximately 1/6th of the Earth's gravitational pull.
3. Impact on Weight:
When a rock is brought from the surface of the Moon to the Earth, its weight will change but not its mass.
- On the surface of the Moon, the rock experiences a weaker gravitational pull compared to the Earth. As a result, its weight on the Moon is 1/6th of its weight on Earth.
- When the rock is brought to the Earth, it will experience a stronger gravitational pull. Therefore, its weight on Earth will be 6 times greater than its weight on the Moon.
4. No Change in Mass:
However, the mass of the rock remains the same throughout the process. The mass of an object is an inherent property and does not change with the location or the gravitational field it is in. So, bringing the rock from the Moon to the Earth does not change its mass.
Therefore, when a rock is brought from the surface of the Moon to the Earth, its weight will change but not its mass.