• Question: How is gravity strong in some parts of the world and weak in others?

    Asked by 492cmte35 to Helena on 9 Mar 2016.
    • Photo: Helena Quilter

      Helena Quilter answered on 9 Mar 2016:

      Hi there. That’s a really hard question for me! I don’t know very much about gravity – I always found physics very hard at school! I don’t think I really know the answer, I’m sorry 🙁

      I know that gravity varies with how far from the centre of the Earth – how high up or low down you are. Gravity is an attractive force towards to centre of the Earth so if you climb up a mountain gravity decreases – only by a very small amount though, about 0.28% less.

      Some of the variation in gravity comes from Earth not being a perfect sphere – the weight isn’t spread out evenly and this means there are “lumps” in the gravitational field. I think NASA have made some really cool maps of the gravity maps on Earth from one their missions where they’re trying to look at these lumps to understand them!

      There’s a gravity zone this year on I’m a Scientist – maybe one of the gravity scientists would be able to help you!

      Gravity Zone

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