Playing basketball on the moon?

In summary, if the gravitational field strenght is weaker than that of earth, then less force is required to do a certain amount of work than required on earth. So my question is, Would our movements be faster? Like dribbling and hand movements and running?An object's weight is less on the moon, but not its mass. So if a ball of mass .5kg is coming at you at speed 5m/s, you would require the same impulse or force to send it back at speed 5m/s. This is true no matter whether the ball is on the way down or up. Additionally, balls always travel in parabolas, not flat out. However, it would be harder to dribble on
  • #1
AFG34
131
0
If the gravitational field strenght is weaker than that of earth, then less force is required to do a certain amount of work than required on earth. So my question is, Would our movements be faster? Like dribbling and hand movements and running?
 
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  • #2
Inertia, imparting acceleration to mass, would stay the same. The curvature of the ball's passing would be more rectilinear due to 1/6 the gravity of Earth, and dribbling would be more symmetric (nearer the same speed at the bottom and the top of the bounce). Upward movements would be somewhat faster than on Earth.
 
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  • #3
AFG34 said:
If the gravitational field strenght is weaker than that of earth, then less force is required to do a certain amount of work than required on earth. So my question is, Would our movements be faster? Like dribbling and hand movements and running?

The weight of an object is less on the moon, but not the mass. Suppose a ball of mass m is coming at you at speed v, you'd require exactly same impusle as on Earth to send it back at speed v. But of course, in order to put the ball in a basket, you will require less speed because it falls slower.

Have you seen the videos of men on the moon walking or running?
 
  • #4
Shooting star said:
Have you seen the videos of men on the moon walking or running?

could you please link me to them?
 
  • #6
Forgot to mention, one of the astronauts played golf there too. I don't recall which mission.
 
  • #7
ok got more questions:

a bball(.5kg) is traveling straight at your hands and it's velocity is 5m/s right before it hits your hand. If it takes you .5 seconds to stop it, you would have to apply a force of 5N: F=ma=(.5kg)(v2-v1/t)
=(.5kg)((5m/s - 0m/s)/.5s)
=5N
So is it correct to assume that the same force would be required to stop a ball on the surface Earth and on the surface of the moon?
 
  • #8
The ball has always a vertical component of accn, which is less on moon. So, it'll always take more uniform force to stop it in 0.5 s on earth, if the ball is on the way down. If it's on the way up, then it'll take less force on Earth to stop it in the same time. Balls always travel in parabolas, not flat out.

But you can say that your derivation is approximately true when the trajectory is very flat.
 
  • #9
would i be correct if i said that you would need more force to dribble a ball on the moon at the same speed as on earth. Moon has less pull on the ball compared to earth.
 
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  • #10
I don't think so, even though dribbling is a complicated procedure, involving both horizontal and vertical motions (I think). The horizontal motions would need the same force or impulse as on earth, but it'll jump more. For putting the ball in the basket, less impulse would be required. You can send the ball farther on the moon, though.
 
  • #11
dribbling would be hard because the moon's surface is very powdery.

I guess if you grew up on the moon, then it would be something to play basketball on Earth.
 
  • #12
nanoWatt said:
dribbling would be hard because the moon's surface is very powdery.

Yes, and also you tend to get so dirty in all that powdery stuff, and there's no water on the moon to take a shower after the game.
 

FAQ: Playing basketball on the moon?

How would playing basketball on the moon be different from playing on Earth?

Playing basketball on the moon would be significantly different due to the lower gravity. Players would be able to jump higher and move faster, making the game more fast-paced and exciting.

Would the basketball and hoop be the same size as on Earth?

No, the basketball and hoop would have to be adjusted for the lower gravity on the moon. The basketball would need to be lighter and the hoop would need to be lower to make the game more challenging.

Would the rules of basketball be the same on the moon?

The basic rules of basketball would still apply, but some modifications may need to be made to account for the lower gravity. For example, players may need to dribble the ball less frequently as it will stay in the air longer.

How would the lack of oxygen on the moon affect players?

Players would need to wear specialized equipment to provide oxygen while playing on the moon. This would also impact their stamina and endurance, making the game even more challenging.

What would be the biggest challenge of playing basketball on the moon?

The biggest challenge would be adjusting to the lower gravity and learning to control movement and jumping in a new way. It would also require players to get used to playing with specialized equipment and in a new environment.

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