Mercury is the smallest planet in our Solar System. It has a volume equal to only 0.056 Earths and a mass of merely 0.055 Earths. It has a very thin atmosphere that is often compared to an almost perfect vacuum. As a result, things on the planet’s surface can get quite hectic.
Besides the extreme variations in temperature, Mercury also features low surface gravity – only 0.38 g. On Earth, for comparison, we experience 1 g of force – about 32.2 ft/s2 of acceleration. In short, you could jump two to three times as far on Mercury. There are, however, some other things that you must consider to determine the distance you could jump.
As such, without any further ado, let’s see how far you could jump and how strong you’d be on the surface of Mercury!
What factors influence the distance of a long jump?
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The most important things that influence the distance of a long jump are vertical velocity during take-off and horizontal velocity developed in the run-up.
Velocity, jump height, and distance are directly influenced by the gravitational force you experience. On Earth, the 1 g of gravity that everyone experiences is called normal gravity. It is responsible for the acceleration at which you move back towards the surface of the Earth once you break contact with it. This is one of the constant values of the equation that can be used to determine the distance of a long jump.
For example, you can modify your speed, angle, or height at take-off. Still, you cannot change the way gravity affects you – unless you were to jump on the surface of another planet! Let’s see how the gravity of Mercury would affect the way you jump.
What is the exact gravity on Mercury?
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The exact gravity on the surface of Mercury is 12.13 ft/s2 – or 0.38 g. Since Earth’s gravity is 1g, then Mercury’s about 38% the gravity of Earth – or 62% weaker. A 10 lbs object on Earth would weigh about 3.8 lbs on Mercury. This value influences the weight of objects (not their mass), your ability to jump, as well as your overall strength.
Mercury is very similar to Mars in terms of gravity. On its surface, a 100 lb object would be about 38 lbs – lifting it wouldn’t be a very difficult task. The same applies to jumping over long distances – or at least longer than usual. In theory, experiencing 38% of the acceleration that you experience on Earth, you’d spend 62% more time in the air after jumping.
For comparison purposes, the gravity on the Moon is 5.31 ft/s2 – or 0.166 g. It is about 16% the gravity of Earth – or 84% lower. You can refer to the famous moon walking videos to get an idea and a starting point for the matters in question here.
How far and high could you jump on the surface of Mercury?
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In theory, on Mercury, you could jump 4.33 ft high from a standing position and spend 1.69 seconds in the air. On Earth, you can jump about 1.64 ft high and spend 0.63 seconds airborne. This means that, on Mercury, you can jump about 2.63 times as high and far away.
Mercury is a small planet with a mass of about 0.055 Earths. Suppose mass was the only aspect to influence a planet’s gravity. In that case, you could jump very high on the surface of Mercury – potentially escaping its gravity as well. Luckily, the planet’s escape velocity is about 2.64 mi/s. While running for their life, people can achieve a top speed of only 0.003 mi/s, so it will be impossible for them to get beyond Mercury’s gravitational field.
In theory, according to the data presented above, you could jump approximately 234 inches far on the surface of Mercury – 263% of an approximate average 7 ft 5 in (89 inches) jump on Earth. On our planet, this would make you an exceptional jumper.
How far and high could you jump on the surface of every planet in our Solar System?
Here is how far and how high you could jump on the surface of every planet in our Solar System:
How strong would you be on the surface of Mercury?
In theory, you’d be approximately 2.63 times as strong on the surface of Mercury. On the planet’s surface, 10 lbs feel like 3.8 lbs. The greatest weight ever lifted, 6,270 lbs, would weigh about 2,382.6 lbs on Mercury.
Daily activities would be fairly easy on the surface of this planet. A car with an average weight of 4,156 lbs would weigh about 1,579 lbs and could be pushed much easier by a group of workers. In this equation, object mass must be taken into account as well. In short, the bigger an object is, the harder it will be for you to lift or push it because, unlike weight, an object’s mass is the same on every planet.
What planet could you jump the farthest and be the strongest on?
Pluto is the planet you could be the strongest and jump the farthest on. It has a gravity approximately 94% weaker than the one on our planet, making mundane tasks incredibly easy. Rope skipping on Pluto would send you in 10-second airborne trips every time you make a jump. At the same time, lifting 100 lbs of objects would feel like lifting 6 lbs.
Here’s Mercury compared to other planets!
Up Next:
- This is How Hot And Cold The Surface of Mercury Really is, And What Could Survive There
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- Which Planet is the Windiest, and Why?
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