Gravitational Pull Varies Across the Solar System

The pull of gravity you feel while standing on Earth results from the planet’s mass and radius. On worlds with different masses or sizes, you would feel lighter or heavier depending on the local surface gravity. This calculator reveals those differences by converting your Earth weight to equivalent weights on other planets.

The relationship between your weight and gravitational force is simple. Weight is the product of your mass and the local acceleration due to gravity. In MathML, that looks like:

$W=mg$

Your mass m remains constant wherever you travel, but the gravitational acceleration g changes from planet to planet. To find your weight on another world, multiply your mass by that planet’s surface gravity.

Surface Gravity Ratios

Scientists have measured the gravitational acceleration for each major planet. Here are the values relative to Earth, where Earth’s gravity equals 1 g:

Planet	Gravity (g)
Mercury	0.38
Venus	0.91
Mars	0.38
Jupiter	2.34
Saturn	1.06
Uranus	0.92
Neptune	1.19

The Moon’s gravity is about 0.165 g, so you would weigh roughly one-sixth of your Earth weight there. Massive Jupiter exerts more than twice the pull of our planet, while tiny Mercury has only about 38% of Earth’s gravity.

Using the Calculator

First enter your weight on Earth, choosing kilograms or pounds from the dropdown. When you press the Calculate button, the script converts pounds to kilograms if needed, then multiplies by each planet’s gravity ratio. It presents the results in a table so you can quickly compare how your weight would change if you could stand on different worlds.

Because all calculations run in your browser, no data leaves your device. Feel free to experiment with different weights to see how the gravitational differences scale. You might wonder how heavy a 100 kg astronaut would feel on Jupiter versus the Moon, or how astronauts adapt to the weak gravity on Mars.

Example Calculation

Imagine you weigh 180 lb on Earth. Converting to kilograms gives approximately 81.6 kg. On Mars, whose gravity is 0.38 g, you would weigh about 31 kg. The math is straightforward:

$\mathrm{Weight\_Mars}=81.6\times 0.38=31.0\mathrm{kg}$

This process repeats for each planet. The resulting table demonstrates the extremes—from floating gently on the Moon to feeling an enormous pull on Jupiter. Those vast differences in gravity shape each world’s geology and make human exploration challenging.

Why Gravity Matters

Understanding planetary gravity is crucial for space missions, spacecraft design, and even the health of astronauts. Long-term exposure to low gravity can weaken bones and muscles, while sudden transitions to high-gravity environments strain the cardiovascular system. Engineers account for these forces when planning landings, takeoffs, and habitats.

Gravitational variations also inspire thought experiments about how everyday activities would differ on other planets. How high could you jump on the Moon? Could you even walk on Jupiter’s crushing surface? This calculator sparks curiosity about such questions, highlighting the fascinating diversity of celestial bodies.

Exploring Further

If you want to dive deeper, you can use the gravity ratios to estimate how much potential energy you would gain by climbing a ladder on Mars versus Earth, or how far a thrown ball might travel in different environments. Gravitational physics touches many aspects of planetary science and astronomy, and this simple calculation is just the beginning.

We encourage you to experiment and share the results with friends or in the classroom. Discussing how gravity shapes the cosmos can foster a greater appreciation for our own planet. The more you explore, the more you’ll recognize the delicate balance that allows Earth to host life.

Conclusion

This planetary weight calculator is a fun way to see how gravity changes across the solar system. By entering your Earth weight, you can instantly learn how heavy or light you would feel on other worlds. Whether you’re a student studying physics or simply curious about space, this tool offers a hands-on glimpse into the power of gravity.

The same approach can extend beyond our solar system, though planetary data becomes more speculative. As astronomers discover exoplanets orbiting distant stars, they estimate surface gravity based on mass and radius measurements. Imagining your weight on those alien worlds can be a creative exercise that combines science with wonder.

While these calculations are straightforward, they hint at the extraordinary diversity of environments beyond Earth. Exploring how gravity influences weather, geology, and even potential life helps scientists prioritize future missions. A world with low surface gravity might be easier to launch from, while a high-gravity planet could trap a denser atmosphere.

Keep experimenting with different values and consider how daily life would feel under weaker or stronger pulls. Thinking about such variations fuels curiosity and can inspire future generations of scientists and engineers who dream of venturing to other worlds.

Mass Versus Weight

It is important to distinguish between mass and weight. Your mass measures how much matter you contain and remains the same wherever you travel. Weight is the force that gravity exerts on that mass. On Earth we feel a weight of $W=mg$, where $g$ is roughly 9.81 m/s². When you visit another world, $g$ changes but $m$ does not, so the calculator keeps your mass constant and multiplies by each planet’s surface gravity to find your new weight.

How Gravity Is Measured

Scientists determine planetary gravity in several ways. For nearby bodies like the Moon, Apollo astronauts used pendulums and tracking experiments to measure the local acceleration. Modern missions typically rely on spacecraft trajectories. By observing how a probe orbits a planet, researchers derive the planet’s mass and radius and then apply Newton’s law of universal gravitation $g=\frac{G}{M}{/}^R$. Gravimeters on Earth perform similar measurements by timing the free fall of test masses with extreme precision.

Beyond the Planets

The solar system contains many other bodies with intriguing gravitational fields. Dwarf planets and large moons offer dramatically different weight ratios compared with Earth. The table below extends the earlier list with a few additional examples:

Body	Gravity (g)
Moon	0.165
Pluto	0.063
Ceres	0.028
Sun	27.9

Standing on Pluto you would weigh just a fraction of your Earth weight, while the Sun’s immense mass would make you nearly 28 times heavier—though of course its extreme heat and lack of a solid surface make standing there impossible.

Living in Different Gravity

Humans evolved under Earth’s gravity, so long-term exposure to weaker or stronger fields poses challenges. Astronauts on the International Space Station experience microgravity and must exercise regularly to counteract muscle and bone loss. Future explorers on Mars would encounter 0.38 g and might need centrifuge-based habitats or special workouts to stay healthy. Conversely, a high-gravity world like Jupiter would subject visitors to crushing forces well beyond human tolerance. Considering these biological effects highlights how dependent life is on the gravitational environment.

Try It Yourself

Use the calculator to simulate travel itineraries. Start with your Earth weight and compare how you would feel on the Moon, Mars, and Pluto. Try entering the weight of different objects such as a backpack or pet to see how carrying them would change on various worlds. Teachers can assign students to research additional bodies and add their gravity ratios, turning the exercise into a broader lesson on planetary science. The more you explore, the more intuitive the relationship between mass, gravity, and weight becomes.