### 5.4 Explanation of Gravitational Force Variations on Different Planets (2 marks)
Gravitational force on an object is determined by the product of its mass and the gravitational acceleration of the planet it is on. The formula for gravitational force [tex]\( F \)[/tex] is:
[tex]\[ F = m \cdot g \][/tex]
where [tex]\( m \)[/tex] is the mass of the object and [tex]\( g \)[/tex] is the gravitational acceleration.
Different planets have different values of gravitational acceleration [tex]\( g \)[/tex], which is influenced by the planet's mass and radius. Specifically:
- Mars has a different mass and radius compared to Earth and Jupiter, resulting in a different gravitational acceleration.
- Earth’s gravitational acceleration is defined as approximately [tex]\( 9.81 \, m/s^2 \)[/tex].
- Jupiter, being a much more massive planet than Earth, has a higher gravitational acceleration due to its greater mass.
As a result, the same object with a mass of 150 kg will experience different gravitational forces on Mars, Earth, and Jupiter due to the differences in the gravitational acceleration of each planet.
### 5.5 Identification of Variables When Comparing Weight on Different Planets
5.5.1 Independent Variable (1 mark):
The independent variable in this context is the mass of the object. This is because the mass remains constant (150 kg) for the comparisons.
5.5.2 Dependent Variable (1 mark):
The dependent variable is the weight of the object. This is because weight varies depending on the gravitational force exerted by each planet, which in turn depends on the gravitational acceleration [tex]\( g \)[/tex] of the respective planet.
In summary:
- Independent Variable: Mass
- Dependent Variable: Weight
