Question

How does the value of ‘g’ change as one goes up above the surface of the earth?

Answer 1

1. The value of the acceleration due to gravity ‘g’ is given by $g=\frac{GM}{R^2}$, where G is the gravitational constant, M is the mass of the earth and R is the distance from the center of the earth.
2. This means that the gravitational force decreases as the distance from the center of the earth increases.
3. So, as one goes up above the surface of the earth, the distance between him and the earth increases.
4. As a result, the value of ‘g' decreases as one goes up above the surface of the earth.