Acceleration due to Gravity (g)

Definition

Acceleration due to gravity refers to how quickly an object accelerates as it falls freely under only the influence of gravity. On Earth, this acceleration has an approximate value of 9.8 m/s².

Analogy

Think about riding a roller coaster that goes straight down at high speed. The feeling you experience as you accelerate downward is similar to what objects feel when they fall freely under gravity's influence.

Related terms

Free Fall: Free fall occurs when an object falls solely under the influence of gravity, without any other forces acting upon it.

Terminal Velocity: Terminal velocity is reached by falling objects when their weight equals air resistance, resulting in no further increase in speed during free fall.

Projectile Motion: Projectile motion describes how objects move through space under the influence of gravity alone, following a curved path.