Science Illustrated

You jump higher on Pluto

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When you are standing on a planet, gravity is a product of your own and the planet’s masses, according to Newton’s law of gravity. So, gravity is less marked on small worlds such as Pluto, and you can jump higher and longer than on Earth. The smaller the world, the lower the speed required to escape its grip and travel into space. On Earth, it requires a rocket travelling at a speed of 40,000 km/h to escape its gravity, but on a comet, a simple jump may be enough.

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