Question

Planet among the following having maximum gravity

• A. Mercury
• B. Earth
• C. Mars
• D. Venus

Hint:

Among the four inner terrestrial planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars), Earth has the highest mass and the maximum surface gravity (\(9.8 \text{ m/s}^2\)).

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Concept: The surface gravity of a planetary body is governed by Newton's law of universal gravitation, depending directly on its total mass and inversely on the square of its radius: \[ g = \frac{GM}{R^2} \] When evaluating a specific subset of rocky terrestrial planets, we compare their relative masses and physical dimensions.

Step 1: Let us compare the average surface gravity (\(g\)) values among the choices provided:
• Mercury: \(\approx 3.7 \text{ m/s}^2\)
• Earth: \(\approx 9.81 \text{ m/s}^2\)
• Mars: \(\approx 3.71 \text{ m/s}^2\)
• Venus: \(\approx 8.87 \text{ m/s}^2\)

Step 2: Among all the terrestrial choices listed in the options, Earth has the largest mass and consequently the maximum surface gravitational acceleration. Note: While Jupiter has the highest gravity in the entire solar system, among the specific options given, Earth stands as the highest.