Physics
Acceleration Due to Gravity
Quick fact
A ball dropped from a height of 1 meter will reach the ground in just over half a second, no matter its weight.
Why this is interesting
Have you ever wondered why all objects fall at the same rate when dropped from the same height? It's not about how heavy they are—it's about gravity!
Read the full explanation
Understanding Acceleration Due to Gravity
When an object is in free fall near Earth’s surface, it accelerates downward at a constant rate. This acceleration is due to gravity pulling the object toward the center of the Earth. Whether you drop a feather or a hammer, they will both accelerate at the same rate—ignoring air resistance.
A deeper explanation
Acceleration due to gravity arises from the gravitational force between the object and the Earth. According to Newton’s law of universal gravitation, this force is proportional to the mass of the object and inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the center of the Earth. On the surface, this results in a constant acceleration of about 9.8 m/s². This concept is foundational for understanding motion, projectile trajectories, and even space travel.