Understanding Gravitational Field Strength (g)
Part of Gravitational Potential Energy — GCSE Physics
This key facts covers Understanding Gravitational Field Strength (g) within Gravitational Potential Energy for GCSE Physics. Revise Gravitational Potential Energy in Energy for GCSE Physics with 15 exam-style questions and 6 flashcards. This is a high-frequency topic, so it is worth revising until the explanation feels precise and repeatable. It is section 2 of 16 in this topic. Use this key facts to connect the idea to the wider topic before moving on to questions and flashcards.
Topic position
Section 2 of 16
Practice
15 questions
Recall
6 flashcards
📚 Understanding Gravitational Field Strength (g)
What g means: The gravitational field strength tells you how strong gravity pulls on each kilogram of mass. On Earth, g = 10 N/kg means every kilogram experiences a gravitational force of 10 Newtons.
g values on different bodies:
| Location | g value (N/kg) | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Earth (surface) | 10 (use this!) | Standard — what we're used to |
| Moon | 1.6 | 6× less GPE for same height; astronauts could jump 6× higher |
| Mars | 3.7 | About 1/3 of Earth's gravity |
| Jupiter | 25 | 2.5× Earth's gravity — you'd feel very heavy! |
💡 Exam tip: Always use g = 10 N/kg unless the question tells you otherwise. Some exams use g = 9.8 N/kg for more precision, but 10 is standard for GCSE.