Question

The value of acceleration due to gravity(g) at a point increases with:
A. decrease in the latitude of the place
B. increase in the latitude of the place
C. increase in the altitude of the place
D. none of the above

Answer 1

Hint: The variation of acceleration due to gravity takes place when we go away or closer to the surface of earth. There is no variation in the value of acceleration due to gravity if we move along the surface of earth.

Complete answer:
The gravitational intensity of the earth can be defined as the gravitational force exerted by earth per unit mass of the object. Dimensionally, the force per unit mass is equal to the acceleration so we can say that we are talking about the acceleration due to gravity when we refer to the gravitational intensity of earth.
The variation of acceleration due to gravity with distance from the surface of earth is given as:
$g' = g\left( {1 - \dfrac{h}{R}} \right)$
Here g is the value of acceleration due to gravity on the surface of earth while g’ is the acceleration due to gravity at a distance h from the surface of earth. R represents the radius of earth.
This means that acceleration due to gravity varies with height and decreases as we go to higher altitudes above the surface of earth.
Latitudes represent points on the same altitude and therefore, there is no change in acceleration due to gravity with change in latitude.

Hence, based on the above reasoning, the correct answer is option C.

Note:
The value of acceleration due to gravity is equal to $9.8m/{s^2}$ only near the surface of earth or at small distances from the surface of earth. At the centre of earth, the value of acceleration due to gravity is zero and same is the case at very large distances above the surface of earth.