Find Out About the Acceleration Due to Gravity

When a skydiver leaps out of a plane, the speed of the fall increases dramatically. This is due to the acceleration caused by gravity, as well as the gravitational force, which attracts the body. When a skydiver opens their parachute, the parachute works against gravity and slows them down, allowing them to land safely. It’s also been noted that as a ball moves uphill, it moves slower than when it moves downwards. This is due to the acceleration caused by the force of gravity.

Gravitation

Gravitation is a force that claims that all objects on Earth and in space are attracted to one another. The gravitational force exerted on an object is proportional to its mass; the greater the mass of an object, the greater the gravitational force exerted on it by other objects. All visible items, such as a pen, eraser, planets, mobile phone, watch, and refrigerator, are attracted to one other in some way. With the Electromagnetic Force and the Nuclear Force, gravity is one of the non-contact forces.

Universal Law of Gravitation

Newton was motivated to discover the connection between falling bodies and celestial motions, according to early versions, when he watched an apple fall from a tree and thought that if the gravitational force could reach above the ground to a tree, it could also reach the Sun. The idea of Newton’s apple is a part of mythology all around the world, and it may or may not be true. It is held in high regard because Newton’s universal law of gravitation and laws of motion answered long-standing issues about nature and supported the idea of nature’s underlying simplicity and unity.

Scientists continue to hope that their continuous investigations into nature will reveal fundamental simplicity. The gravitational force is a straightforward force. It is always appealing, and its attractiveness is solely determined by the masses involved and the distance between them.

Newton’s universal law of gravitation states, that every particle in the world attracts every other particle along a line connected by a force. The force they exert on each other is proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to their separation.

Gravity

In mechanics, gravity, often known as gravitation, is the universal force of attraction that impacts on all matter. Since it is the weakest force known in nature, it has no effect on the inner properties of ordinary matter.

Along with electromagnetism and the strong and weak nuclear forces, gravity is one of the four fundamental forces in the universe. Despite its widespread importance in keeping our feet from floating off the Earth, scientists are still baffled by gravity. Along with electromagnetism and the strong and weak nuclear forces, gravity is one of the four fundamental forces in the universe. Despite its pervasiveness and importance in keeping our feet from floating off the Earth, scientists are still confused by gravity.

Acceleration due to gravity

When a body falls towards the earth, its acceleration changes due to the gravitational force of the earth. This type of acceleration is known as acceleration due to gravity   This is the acceleration that an object experiences as a result of the gravitational force.

Since, acceleration due to gravity has both a magnitude and a direction. As a result, it’s a vector quantity.

Formula for acceleration due to gravity

Mathematically, the acceleration due to gravity is directly proportional to the mass of the body and inversely proportional to the distance from the centre of mass. 

Therefore, the formula for acceleration due to gravity can be given as:

Here,

gravitational constant=

mass of the body

distance from the centre of mass

The S.I. unit of acceleration due to gravity is

Derivation of the formula for acceleration due to gravity

According to Newton’s second law of motion we know that,

Here,

force on the body

mass of the body

acceleration of the body

In case of free-falling body, we know that the formula becomes,

………………. Equation (1)

Here,

force on the body

mass of the body

acceleration due to gravity

According to universal law of gravitation, we know that

……………………. Equation (2)

Here,

gravitational constant=

From equation (1) and equation (2), we can conclude that,

Consider the case where the object is placed close to the earth, and the distance between the earth and the object is equal to the radius of the earth.

Therefore, acceleration due to gravity can be given as:

Calculation of the value of acceleration due to gravity

If we calculate the value of acceleration due to gravity on the surface of earth,

mass of earth =

radius of the earth =

Putting the values in the formula we get,

Therefore, the value of acceleration due to gravity on the surface of earth is .

Factor affecting the acceleration due to gravity

The factors affecting acceleration due to gravity are as follows:

• Shape of Earth: Since the earth’s shape is not spherical but rather oval, the gravitational force is variable in different regions. Also, because radius of the globe is smallest at the pole, the force of attraction is greatest (about ). While the earth’s gravitational force is lowest at the equator (about ), the earth’s radius is greatest at the equator.

• Altitude: The force of attraction between a body and the earth’s surface decreases as the distance between the earth and the body rises.

• Depth: The acceleration due to gravity is reduced when a body is placed inside the earth’s surface.

Conclusion

The downward acceleration of a free-falling object is (on Earth). This numerical figure for the acceleration of a free-falling item is such an essential value that it is given a distinct name. It’s known as acceleration due to gravity, and it’s the acceleration of any object moving only owing to gravity. In fact, the acceleration of gravity is such a significant amount that scientists have given it its own symbol, is the most precise numerical value for the acceleration of gravity. This numerical figure (to the second decimal place) has minor fluctuations that are mostly determined by altitude.