Answer to Question #153292 in Mechanics | Relativity for Sneha

Question

Write notes on gravitational acceleration

Answer 1

Gravitational acceleration – the acceleration experienced by a mass in a gravitational field.

The strength of the gravity field of a planet can be measured in terms of the gravitational acceleration (g). The larger the planet or astronomical object the greater is the gravitational acceleration at its surface. The value of g at the surface depends on the mass of the planet as well as its radius. The strength of gravity decreases with altitude above the surface of a planet. In the case of Earth the surface gravity is 9.8 m/s². At 500 km from the surface the gravitational acceleration is 8.4 m/s². At an altitude of 380 000 km, which corresponds to the orbit of the Moon, the gravitational acceleration due to Earth has dropped to 0.003 m/s2. Although this is small it is sufficient to trap the Moon in Earth’s gravitational field.