Why Gravity Is Weaker on the Moon

Gravitational acceleration depends on mass and distance:

. The Moon has about 1/81 of Earth's mass and 1/4 of its radius, so its surface gravity is roughly 1.6 m/s² compared to Earth's 9.8 m/s². This is why astronauts could leap high despite wearing heavy suits — the downward pull was about six times weaker.