1. What is Gravitational Acceleration?

Gravitational acceleration (g) is the acceleration of an object due to the force of gravity. It represents how quickly an object's velocity changes when falling freely under gravity's influence.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses Newton's law of universal gravitation:

Where:

• \( g \) — Gravitational acceleration (m/s²)
• \( G \) — Gravitational constant (6.67430×10⁻¹¹ m³/kg·s²)
• \( M \) — Mass of the celestial body (kg)
• \( r \) — Distance from center of mass (m)

Explanation: The formula calculates the gravitational field strength at a specific distance from a massive object's center.

3. Importance of Gravitational Acceleration

Details: Understanding gravitational acceleration is crucial for space exploration, satellite orbit calculations, geophysical studies, and understanding planetary physics.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter mass in kilograms and distance in meters. Both values must be positive numbers. The distance should be measured from the center of the mass.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is Earth's standard gravitational acceleration?
A: Approximately 9.80665 m/s² at sea level, though it varies slightly with latitude and altitude.

Q2: How does gravity change with distance?
A: Gravity follows an inverse square law - it decreases with the square of the distance from the mass center.

Q3: Why is the gravitational constant so small?
A: The gravitational constant is small because gravity is the weakest of the four fundamental forces, but becomes significant with large masses.

Q4: Can this formula be used for any celestial body?
A: Yes, the formula applies universally to any massive object, from planets and stars to smaller celestial bodies.

Q5: How accurate is this calculation?
A: The calculation is theoretically accurate for point masses or spherical symmetric distributions, but real-world applications may require additional considerations.