Question
GeneralGeneralGeneral

what do you mean by acceleration due to gravity?

Verified Answer

Acceleration due to gravity is the acceleration experienced by an object when it falls freely toward the Earth under the influence of gravity alone. It is represented by the symbol g.

Key Facts:

  • Value of g on Earth: approximately 9.8 m/s²

  • It acts toward the centre of the Earth.

  • All freely falling objects accelerate at the same rate, regardless of their mass (ignoring air resistance).

Example:
If a ball is dropped from a height, its speed increases by about 9.8 m/s every second due to gravity.

In simple terms: Acceleration due to gravity is the rate at which the Earth's gravity increases the speed of a falling object.