Is Acceleration Due to Gravity 9.8 Meters Per Second or Per Second Squared?

Learn why acceleration due to gravity is 9.8 meters per second squared (m/s²), not per second, and how it affects free-falling objects.

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Acceleration due to gravity on Earth is 9.8 meters per second squared (m/s²), not per second. This means that an object, in free fall, accelerates towards the Earth's surface at this rate, increasing its velocity by 9.8 m/s for every second it falls, assuming there's no air resistance.

FAQs & Answers

  1. What does 9.8 meters per second squared mean? It means that an object's velocity increases by 9.8 meters per second every second when falling freely under Earth's gravity, assuming no air resistance.
  2. Why is acceleration due to gravity expressed as m/s² and not m/s? Because acceleration measures how velocity changes over time, so it's expressed in meters per second per second (m/s²), indicating the rate of change of velocity.
  3. Does acceleration due to gravity vary on different planets? Yes, the acceleration due to gravity depends on the planet's mass and radius; for example, the Moon's gravity is about 1.62 m/s², much less than Earth's 9.8 m/s².

Watch More

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