Maharashtra BoardEnglish MediumSTD 11 SciencePhysicsGravitation2 Marks
Question
At which place on the Earth surface the gravitational acceleration minimum? Why?
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Answer
Gravitational acceleration on the surface of the Earth depends on latitude of the place as well as rotation and shape of the Earth.
At equator, latitude $\theta = 0^\circ.$
$\therefore g’ = g – Rω^2$
i.e., the acceleration due to gravity ¡s reduced by amount $Rω^2(≈ 0.034 m/s^2)$ at equator.
Also, shape of the Earth is actually an ellipsoid, bulged at equator. The equatorial radius of the Earth is $6378 km$, which is maximum. As $g \propto \frac{1}{ R ^2}$ acceleration due to gravity is minimum on equator i.e., $9.7804 m / s ^2$.
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