SSC Exam  >  SSC Questions  >  When a spacecraft goes from earth to moon, ho... Start Learning for Free
When a spacecraft goes from earth to moon, how does the value of weight due to gravity vary?

  • a)
    Remains the same

  • b)
    Decreases, becomes zero and then again increases

  • c)
    Increases throughout

  • d)
    First increases than decreases

Correct answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?
Verified Answer
When a spacecraft goes from earth to moon, how does the value of weigh...


  1. On Earth: The gravitational pull is strongest because the spacecraft is close to Earth's center, and the acceleration due to gravity is about 9.8 m/s².



  2. As it moves away from Earth: The force of gravity decreases with distance, according to the inverse square law. This means the further the spacecraft moves away from Earth, the weaker the gravitational pull becomes. Weight decreases as gravity weakens.



  3. Midway between Earth and Moon: There is a point called the neutral point or Lagrange point where the gravitational forces of Earth and the Moon balance each other. At this point, the spacecraft would effectively feel weightless, as the gravitational pulls from both bodies cancel out.



  4. Approaching the Moon: As the spacecraft gets closer to the Moon, the gravitational pull of the Moon starts to increase, though it is weaker than Earth's gravity (about 1/6th of Earth's gravity). The weight of the spacecraft will slightly increase again, but it will still be much less than it was on Earth.




In summary, the weight due to gravity decreases as the spacecraft moves away from Earth, reaches a minimum near the neutral point, and then slightly increases as it approaches the Moon, but the overall weight remains much lower than on Earth.
View all questions of this test
Most Upvoted Answer
When a spacecraft goes from earth to moon, how does the value of weigh...
Variation of Weight Due to Gravity When Traveling to the Moon
When a spacecraft travels from Earth to the Moon, the gravitational forces experienced change significantly. Here's how the weight due to gravity varies during this journey:
1. Departure from Earth
- At the surface of the Earth, the spacecraft experiences maximum gravitational pull, which is approximately 9.81 m/s².
- As the spacecraft ascends, it begins to move away from the Earth, resulting in a gradual decrease in gravitational force.
2. Transition to Zero Gravity
- As the spacecraft rises to higher altitudes, the gravitational force continues to decrease.
- At a certain point, often referred to as the "zero gravity" or microgravity zone, the spacecraft may experience weightlessness.
- This occurs when the gravitational pull from the Earth is countered by the centrifugal force due to its orbit, making the effective weight appear to be zero.
3. Approach to the Moon
- As the spacecraft navigates towards the Moon, it begins to enter the Moon’s gravitational influence.
- The gravitational pull from the Moon is weaker than that of Earth (about 1.62 m/s²), but it starts to increase as the spacecraft gets closer.
- Eventually, the gravitational force from the Moon will dominate, causing the weight of the spacecraft to increase again, albeit at a lower value than on Earth.
Conclusion
- Thus, the variation of weight due to gravity during the journey from Earth to the Moon involves a decrease in weight, a moment of zero weight, and then an increase as the spacecraft approaches the Moon. This explains why the correct answer is option 'B'.
Explore Courses for SSC exam
When a spacecraft goes from earth to moon, how does the value of weight due to gravity vary?a)Remains the sameb)Decreases, becomes zero and then again increasesc)Increases throughoutd)First increases than decreasesCorrect answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?
Question Description
When a spacecraft goes from earth to moon, how does the value of weight due to gravity vary?a)Remains the sameb)Decreases, becomes zero and then again increasesc)Increases throughoutd)First increases than decreasesCorrect answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer? for SSC 2024 is part of SSC preparation. The Question and answers have been prepared according to the SSC exam syllabus. Information about When a spacecraft goes from earth to moon, how does the value of weight due to gravity vary?a)Remains the sameb)Decreases, becomes zero and then again increasesc)Increases throughoutd)First increases than decreasesCorrect answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer? covers all topics & solutions for SSC 2024 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for When a spacecraft goes from earth to moon, how does the value of weight due to gravity vary?a)Remains the sameb)Decreases, becomes zero and then again increasesc)Increases throughoutd)First increases than decreasesCorrect answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?.
Solutions for When a spacecraft goes from earth to moon, how does the value of weight due to gravity vary?a)Remains the sameb)Decreases, becomes zero and then again increasesc)Increases throughoutd)First increases than decreasesCorrect answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer? in English & in Hindi are available as part of our courses for SSC. Download more important topics, notes, lectures and mock test series for SSC Exam by signing up for free.
Here you can find the meaning of When a spacecraft goes from earth to moon, how does the value of weight due to gravity vary?a)Remains the sameb)Decreases, becomes zero and then again increasesc)Increases throughoutd)First increases than decreasesCorrect answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer? defined & explained in the simplest way possible. Besides giving the explanation of When a spacecraft goes from earth to moon, how does the value of weight due to gravity vary?a)Remains the sameb)Decreases, becomes zero and then again increasesc)Increases throughoutd)First increases than decreasesCorrect answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer?, a detailed solution for When a spacecraft goes from earth to moon, how does the value of weight due to gravity vary?a)Remains the sameb)Decreases, becomes zero and then again increasesc)Increases throughoutd)First increases than decreasesCorrect answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer? has been provided alongside types of When a spacecraft goes from earth to moon, how does the value of weight due to gravity vary?a)Remains the sameb)Decreases, becomes zero and then again increasesc)Increases throughoutd)First increases than decreasesCorrect answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer? theory, EduRev gives you an ample number of questions to practice When a spacecraft goes from earth to moon, how does the value of weight due to gravity vary?a)Remains the sameb)Decreases, becomes zero and then again increasesc)Increases throughoutd)First increases than decreasesCorrect answer is option 'B'. Can you explain this answer? tests, examples and also practice SSC tests.
Explore Courses for SSC exam
Signup for Free!
Signup to see your scores go up within 7 days! Learn & Practice with 1000+ FREE Notes, Videos & Tests.
10M+ students study on EduRev