• Question: was gravity always 9.8 newtons?

    Asked by Maegan:) to Daniel, Maggie, Ry, Scott on 15 Nov 2017.
    • Photo: Ry Cutter

      Ry Cutter answered on 15 Nov 2017:

      It’s not! We use it as the average. It changes depending on how close to the middle of the planet we are. If you’re underground you feel a higher gravity, and if you’re on top of a mountain the gravity is weaker!
      Because gravity is weaker high up, air pressure is also weaker! This means the boiling point of water can be up to 10 degrees lower. It makes cooking a lot harder when you’re in the mountains.
      Brilliant question,
      Ryan

    • Photo: Maggie Lieu

      Maggie Lieu answered on 15 Nov 2017:

      The gravity on Earth is pretty close to constant all over but there are tiny changes. ESA had a space satellite called GOCE that mapped the earths gravity and this is what it looks like:

      The red parts are more gravity and the blue parts less gravity

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