Science Secrets · Drawing 01 of 40
Same Backpack, Different Planet!
Gravity · An imagined comparison
Whoa, this backpack is heavy! Gravity pulls objects toward the ground. On Mars, the same backpack would weigh less because gravity there is weaker.
Did you know?
Surface gravity on Mars is about 38% of Earth’s.
Look together
What changes: the contents of the backpack or its weight?
An idea to try
Choose three objects for an imaginary backpack. Draw the same contents on Earth and Mars, then explain what would change.
For the adult reading along
A little more to discover
Gravity is an attraction between masses. This imagined comparison shows the same child, equipment and backpack on two planets. Weight changes with gravity, but mass and contents stay the same. The expressions and poses are illustrative, not measurements of effort. Martian gravity still holds objects on the ground. The scene does not suggest that Mars has no gravity. No child has travelled to Mars.
Sources and illustration notes (2)
Simplified scene and shapes. Models, imagined comparisons and enlargements do not preserve all real measurements.
These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. References identify the institution and the related lesson; some linked pages are in French.
- NASA JPL: Mars at a GlanceMars surface gravity is approximately 38 percent of Earth surface gravity.
- NASA Space Place: How Do We Weigh Planets?Weight depends on gravity; mass stays the same when moving between planets.
Source review: 2026-10-12. Illustrations are simplified for colouring.
