1. Acceleration due to gravity (g): This is the acceleration experienced by an object due to Earth's gravitational pull. It's approximately 9.81 meters per second squared (m/s²). This means that every second, the velocity of a falling object increases by 9.81 meters per second.
2. Gravitational force (Fg): This is the actual force exerted by Earth on an object. It can be calculated using Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation:
Fg = G * (m1 * m2) / r²
Where:
* Fg is the force of gravity
* G is the gravitational constant (6.674 × 10⁻¹¹ N⋅m²/kg²)
* m1 is the mass of Earth (5.972 × 10²⁴ kg)
* m2 is the mass of the object
* r is the distance between the center of Earth and the object
Therefore, the gravitational force on an object depends on its mass and the distance from the Earth's center.
Important notes:
* The value of 9.81 m/s² is an approximation. It actually varies slightly depending on latitude, altitude, and local geological features.
* While the acceleration due to gravity is constant, the force of gravity is not constant for an object. It depends on the object's mass.
So, to answer your question directly, there is no single "constant force of gravity" on Earth. However, the acceleration due to gravity is a constant value of approximately 9.81 m/s².
