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Gravitational Field

A gravitational field as a region in which an object experiences a force due to gravitational attraction.

Gravitational Field Strength

The gravitational field strength at a point in the gravitational field is the gravitational force acting on a mass of 1 kg placed at that point.
The unit of gravitational field strength is N/kg.
The gravitational field strength is denoted by the symbol "g".

Gravitational Field Strength Formula


Gravitational Acceleration
The gravitational acceleration is the acceleration of an object due to the pull of the gravitational force.
The unit of gravitational acceleration is ms^-2
Gravitational acceleratio is also denoted by the symbol "g".
Symbol: g

Important notes:

• Gravitational acceleration does not depend on the mass of the moving object.
• The magnitude of gravitational acceleration is taken to be 10ms-2.

Gravitational Field Strength vs. Gravitational Acceleration

• Both the gravitational field strength and gravitational acceleration have the symbol, g and the same value (10ms-2) on the surface of the earth.
• When considering a body falling freely, the g is the gravitational acceleration.
• When considering objects at rest, g is the Earth’s gravitational field strength acting on it.

Weight

The weight of an object is defined as the gravitational force acting on the object.
The SI unit of weight is Newton (N)

Differences between Weight and Mass

Weight	Mass
Depends on the gravitational field strength	Independent from the gravitational field strength
Vector quantity	Scalar Quantity
Unit Newton (N)	Unit: Kilogram (kg)

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Free Falling

1. Free falling is a motion under force of gravity as the only force acting on the moving object.
2. Practically, free falling can only take place in vacuum.

Gravitational Acceleration

1. The gravitational acceleration is the acceleration of an object due to the pull of the gravitational force. It has the unit of ms^-2
2. The symbol of gravitational acceleration is " g ".
3. Gravitational acceleration does not depend on the mass of the moving object.
4. The magnitude of gravitational acceleration is taken to be 10ms-2.

Gravitational Field Strength vs. Gravitational Acceleration

1. Both the gravitational field strength and gravitational acceleration have the symbol, g and the same value (10ms^-2) on the surface of the earth.
2. When considering a body falling freely, the g is the gravitational acceleration.
3. When considering objects at rest, g is the Earth’s gravitational field strength acting on it.

Case of Free Falling 1 - Falling from High Place
When an object is released from a high place,

1. its initial velocity, u = 0.
2. its acceleration is equal to the gravitational acceleration, g, which taken to be 10ms^-2 in SPM.
3. the displacement is the of the object when it reaches the ground is equal to the initial height of the object, h.

Case of Free Falling 2 - Launching Object Upward
If an object is launched up vertically,

1. the acceleration = -g (-10ms^-2)
2. the velocity become zero when the object reaches the highest point.
3. the displacement of the object at highest point is equal to the vertical height of object, h
4. the time taken for the object to move to the maximum height = the time taken for the object to fall from the maximum point to its initial position.
   

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