Astronomy Practice Exam

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What is the approximate value of acceleration due to gravity on Earth?

5 m/s²
8 m/s²
9.8 m/s²
10 m/s²

The correct answer is: 10 m/s²

The approximate value of acceleration due to gravity on Earth is generally accepted to be around 9.8 m/s². This value is derived from experiments and measurements that determine how quickly objects accelerate towards the Earth when dropped from a height. The value can vary slightly depending on altitude and a location's distance from the Earth's center due to the planet's shape (it’s an oblate spheroid) and gravitational interactions, but 9.8 m/s² is the standard average used in physics. While some educational materials may round this number to approximately 10 m/s² for simplicity in calculations and ease of understanding, especially in introductory levels, the true value is more precise with the 9.8 m/s² designation being the most accurate and widely recognized in scientific contexts. Therefore, the most correct response regarding the standard gravity on Earth is 9.8 m/s². The options of 5 m/s² and 8 m/s² are significantly lower than the actual measured value, and while using 10 m/s² can be a useful approximation in some scenarios, it does not capture the more accurate measurement of 9.8 m/s².