There is a lot of information about the planet Mars that we collect every day thanks to space explorations. We know more and more about the red planet, its atmosphere, the existence of past life and much more. The gravity on mars It is different for our planet. It has some unique characteristics and is of great importance for understanding how the entire planet works.
Therefore, we are going to tell you what are the characteristics of gravity on Mars and the differences with our planet.
What is gravity like on Mars?
Mars and Earth are very similar in many ways, such as the size of their surface or their polar caps. However, they also have more differences than similarities, including temperature and atmospheric pressure, and we cannot fail to mention gravity on Mars, because it is very different from gravity on Earth. In fact, the Red Planet it has a much lower gravitational pull than Earth, according to fairly accurate studies with a numerical accuracy of 62%.
For a simpler explanation, we will take the example of a person on Earth who weighs 100 kg. It turns out that if the same people traveled to Mars, they would weigh only 38 kilograms on that planet. This is what makes gravity different on the Red Planet. We must emphasize that the different gravity that exists on Mars is due to various factors that complement the planet, such as its mass, density and radius. While it may seem unimportant, it actually is.
How they calculated gravity on Mars
It is important to note that we share almost the same surface area as the red planet. Its diameter is only half that of our planet, and its density is much less. More precisely, Mars has 15% the volume and 11% the mass of Earth.
Using Newton's assumptions and laws, scientists were able to calculate the gravitational pull of the red planet. This suggests that the gravitational force exerted by a planet is proportional to its mass. They applied the same method to find out the gravity on Mars, and that is why this very precise result emerged regarding the gravity present in said celestial body. To apply Newton's laws to a sphere, you must first calculate its radius. Once you know this, you'll know that the gravitational force on a surface is inversely proportional to the square of its radius.
This may seem complicated, but in reality, it is one of the simplest procedures performed scientifically. Knowing these details is important for several reasons. In fact, These types of points are studied to find out the behavior of all objects or objects sent from Earth to said planet. This way, astronauts will know exactly what to do on such missions. Understanding gravity on Mars is important for future expeditions.
Features and Effects
We have already seen that gravity and Mars is different from that of planet Earth. Now we are going to see what are the characteristics of said gravity and some factors to take into account:
- Gravitational acceleration: On Mars, the gravitational acceleration is approximately 3.71 meters per second squared (m/s²), compared to 9.81 m/s² on Earth. This means that objects on Mars fall more slowly than on Earth and that less force is required to lift objects into the air.
- Effects on Human Bodies: The lower gravity on Mars has implications for the human body. Astronauts traveling to Mars would experience a reduction in the gravitational load on their bodies, which could lead to long-term loss of muscle mass and bone density. They would also be affected in terms of balance and movement, as they would have a light feeling and an easier time jumping and moving around.
- Influence on the atmosphere: Gravity on Mars has an impact on the planet's atmosphere. The lower gravity makes it difficult for Mars to retain a dense atmosphere, resulting in a much lower atmospheric pressure compared to Earth. This low atmospheric pressure has implications for habitability and the possibility of life on the Martian surface, as it affects the presence of liquid water and radiation shielding.
- Less effect on the surface: Due to the lower gravity on Mars, objects on the planet's surface would have a reduced weight compared to Earth. This means that objects would be easier to lift and transport on Mars, and buildings and structures would require less structural reinforcement.
Seasons on the Red Planet
The seasons on Mars are of great interest because they are the result of a combination of two important factors: the tilt of the planet's axis of rotation and changes in its distance from the sun. The sun is practically constant throughout the year, so this factor has practically no effect on the duration and intensity of the terrestrial seasons.
First of all, it must be understood that the inclination of a planet determines the direction in which the sun's rays arrive throughout the year. Imagine a planet rotating on its axis without inclination, as is the case with Mercury. In this case, The sun's rays always reach all points on Earth in the same direction., regardless of the relative position between the planet and the sun.
If a planet rotates on its axis with a certain inclination, like Mars (25° inclination), then the sun's rays arrive in different directions, depending on the position of the planet with respect to the sun. Years in which the light reaches almost vertically (producing summer) and times in which the light is more oblique (producing winter).
This phenomenon explains the seasons on Earth. But in the case of Mars, it must also be taken into account that the distance from the sun varies greatly throughout its orbit. The shape of the Earth's orbit is nearly circular. This makes all four seasons have the same duration. That's not the case for Mars, which has one of the most elliptical orbits in the solar system. This causes Mars to spend more time away from the sun during the Northern Hemisphere summer part of its orbit.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about gravity on Mars and its characteristics.