When Neil Armstrong climbed down to the surface of the Moon via the 3.5-m tall ladder of the Lunar Lander,his potential energy changed by 1260 J.If his mass was 79 kg,what was the mass of his suit? The acceleration due to gravity on the moon is 1.62 m/s².

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The potential energy change (PE) when Neil Armstrong climbed down the ladder can be calculated using the formula PE = mgh, where m is the total mass (Neil + suit), g is the acceleration due to gravity on the Moon, and h is the height. Given PE = 1260 J, g = 1.62 m/s^2, and h = 3.5 m, we can solve for m: 1260 = m * 1.62 * 3.5. Solving for m gives m ≈ 219 kg. Since Neil's mass is 79 kg, the mass of his suit is 219 kg - 79 kg = 140 kg.

When Neil Armstrong Climbed Down to the Surface of the Moon