Why does a feather fall at the same rate as a hammer on the Moon?

To calculate an object's weight, we have weight = mass * gravitational field strength (W = mg). From this, we see that an object with a greater mass (e.g. a hammer compared with a feather) has a greater weight, and since weight is the force that causes falling, we might expect that it will fall faster.
However, this does not happen. If we want to work out the acceleration of an object, we use Newton's second law, force = mass * acceleration (F = ma). Since weight is the force acting on the hammer or feather, we can equate our expression for the weight, mg, to ma:
ma = mg
We can then divide both sides of this equation by m, yielding
a = g
And therefore, the acceleration a doesn't depend on m, the object's mass. For this reason, a hammer and a feather will fall with the same acceleration on the Moon, as long as there are no other forces.

JT
Answered by Joel T. Physics tutor

8602 Views

See similar Physics A Level tutors

Related Physics A Level answers

All answers ▸

Newton's Law of Gravitation states: F=GMm/r^2, where G is the gravitational constant (6.67×10−11m^3kg^−1s^−2). Kepler's Third Law, states t^2=kR^3. The mass of the sun is 1.99x10^30kg. Find the value of k and its units


Why does gravitational potential energy have a negative value?


A given star has a peak emission wavelength of 60nm, lies 7.10*10^19m away and the intensity of its electromagnetic radiation reaching the Earth is 3.33*10^-8Wm^-2. Calculate the star's diameter


What happens to the pressure inside a gas-filled ball when the temperature is increased? Explain your answer, stating the assumption made.


We're here to help

contact us iconContact ustelephone icon+44 (0) 203 773 6020
Facebook logoInstagram logoLinkedIn logo

MyTutor is part of the IXL family of brands:

© 2025 by IXL Learning