The question of how much you would weigh on the Moon is common, and the answer lies in understanding gravity. Your experience of weight is directly tied to the gravitational pull of the celestial body you are on.
Weight Versus Mass
To understand your lunar weight, it is important to distinguish between weight and mass. Mass represents the amount of matter within an object and remains constant regardless of location, such as on Earth, the Moon, or in deep space. It is typically measured in kilograms.
Weight, conversely, is the force of gravity acting upon an object’s mass. Unlike mass, weight is not a fixed value; it changes depending on the strength of the gravitational field. On Earth, your weight results from the planet’s gravitational pull, so your weight changes with your location on different celestial bodies.
The Moon’s Gravitational Pull
You would weigh less on the Moon due to its weaker gravitational pull compared to Earth. The Moon has a much smaller mass than Earth, approximately 1.2% of Earth’s mass. Gravitational force is directly related to the mass of an object and the distance from its center. With less mass, the Moon exerts a weaker gravitational force on objects near its surface.
The Moon’s surface gravity is about 1.625 meters per second squared, significantly less than Earth’s gravitational acceleration of 9.81 meters per second squared. This means the Moon’s gravitational pull is approximately 16.5%, or about one-sixth, of Earth’s gravity. This weaker pull is the reason astronauts appeared to bounce across the lunar surface.
Calculating Your Lunar Weight
Knowing that the Moon’s gravity is about one-sixth of Earth’s makes calculating your lunar weight straightforward. To determine your weight on the Moon, you can simply divide your Earth weight by six. Alternatively, you can multiply your Earth weight by 0.165 or 0.166. For instance, if a person weighs 180 pounds on Earth, their weight on the Moon would be approximately 30 pounds (180 divided by 6).
This substantial reduction in weight would feel significantly different. Astronauts who have walked on the Moon described a sensation of being much lighter, allowing them to jump significantly higher and move with less effort than on Earth. While not truly “weightless,” the reduced gravitational pull enabled them to bound across the surface with an almost effortless gait, a stark contrast to their movements on Earth.