1. What Is Gravitational Acceleration?

Gravitational acceleration (g) is the acceleration of an object due to the force of gravity from another massive object. It describes 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 formula:

Where:

• \( g \) — Gravitational acceleration (m/s²)
• \( G \) — Gravitational constant (6.67430×10⁻¹¹ m³ kg⁻¹ s⁻²)
• \( M \) — Mass of the central body (kg)
• \( r \) — Distance from the center of mass (m)

Explanation: The formula shows that gravitational acceleration is directly proportional to the mass of the attracting body and inversely proportional to the square of the distance from its center.

3. Importance Of Gravitational Acceleration

Details: Gravitational acceleration is fundamental in physics and astronomy for calculating orbital mechanics, understanding planetary motion, designing spacecraft trajectories, and analyzing gravitational fields of celestial bodies.

4. Using The Calculator

Tips: Enter the mass of the central body in kilograms and the distance from its center in meters. Both values must be positive numbers greater than zero for accurate calculation.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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

Q2: How does gravitational acceleration change with altitude?
A: Gravitational acceleration decreases with the square of the distance from Earth's center, so it decreases as altitude increases.

Q3: What is the gravitational constant G?
A: G = 6.67430×10⁻¹¹ m³ kg⁻¹ s⁻², a fundamental physical constant that measures the strength of the gravitational force.

Q4: Can this formula be used for any celestial body?
A: Yes, the formula applies universally to calculate gravitational acceleration near any massive object when you know its mass and the distance from its center.

Q5: How accurate is this calculation for real-world applications?
A: Very accurate for spherical bodies with uniform density distribution. For irregular bodies or those with non-uniform density, additional factors may be needed.