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Gravitational Acceleration Formula:
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Gravitational acceleration is the acceleration of an object due to the force of gravity. It represents the rate at which an object's velocity changes when falling freely under gravity's influence, commonly denoted as "g".
The calculator uses the gravitational acceleration formula:
Where:
Explanation: This formula calculates the gravitational acceleration at a specific distance from a celestial body's center, based on Newton's law of universal gravitation.
Details: Gravitational acceleration is fundamental in physics and astronomy for calculating orbital mechanics, understanding planetary motion, designing spacecraft trajectories, and studying celestial dynamics.
Tips: Enter the gravitational constant (default is Earth's value), mass of the celestial body in kilograms, and distance from the center in meters. All values must be positive numbers.
Q1: What is the standard value of g on Earth?
A: The standard gravitational acceleration on Earth's surface is approximately 9.80665 m/s², though it varies slightly with latitude and altitude.
Q2: How does g 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 is the fundamental physical constant that quantifies the strength of gravity, approximately 6.67430 × 10⁻¹¹ m³ kg⁻¹ s⁻².
Q4: Can this formula be used for any celestial body?
A: Yes, this universal formula applies to any mass, from planets and stars to smaller astronomical objects.
Q5: How accurate is this calculation?
A: The calculation is theoretically exact for point masses or spherical symmetric bodies. For irregular shapes, additional factors may be needed.