1. What is Acceleration Due to Gravity?
* Gravity: It's a force of attraction between any two objects with mass. The Earth has a large mass, so it exerts a strong gravitational pull on objects near its surface.
* Acceleration: Acceleration is the rate at which an object's velocity changes. This change can be in speed (how fast the object is moving) or direction.
2. Why is it 9.8 m/s²?
* Not Constant: The acceleration due to gravity is not exactly 9.8 m/s² everywhere on Earth. It varies slightly depending on factors like altitude and the Earth's density.
* Average: The value 9.8 m/s² is an average value used for most calculations.
* Factors: The actual value is determined by:
* Earth's mass: The larger the mass, the stronger the gravitational pull.
* Distance from Earth's center: The closer an object is to the Earth's center, the stronger the gravitational pull.
3. How does it affect velocity?
* Constant Increase: The acceleration due to gravity means that for every second an object falls freely, its downward velocity increases by 9.8 m/s.
* Example: If a ball is dropped from rest:
* After 1 second: Velocity is 9.8 m/s downward.
* After 2 seconds: Velocity is 19.6 m/s downward.
* After 3 seconds: Velocity is 29.4 m/s downward.
In Summary:
* Acceleration due to gravity is a constant rate of change of velocity caused by the Earth's gravitational pull.
* It's approximately 9.8 m/s², meaning that for every second an object falls, its downward velocity increases by 9.8 m/s.
* This acceleration causes the velocity of a falling object to change continuously.
