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Surface gravity is an acceleration, and is commonly measured in the units of acceleration, which are distance (or length) per square unit of time. The [[International System of Units|SI]] units of acceleration are m/s².
Surface gravity is an acceleration, and is commonly measured in the units of acceleration, which are distance (or length) per square unit of time. The [[International System of Units|SI]] units of acceleration are m/s².
But surface gravity has another unit, ''g''. The lowercase g is always italicized in the technical literature, mainly to distinguish it from g for gram, and also from g as a symbol for the quantity called surface gravity as opposed to its value. The quantity ''g'' is the standard surface gravity of the [[earth]]. By definition this is 9.80665 m/s².
But surface gravity has another unit, ''g''. The lowercase g is always italicized in the technical literature, mainly to distinguish it from g for gram, and also from g as a symbol for the quantity called surface gravity as opposed to its value. The quantity ''g'' is the standard surface gravity of the [[earth]]. By definition this is 9.80665 m/s².
In the discussion below, ''body'' refers to a celestial body and ''object'' refers to a much smaller object that might rest on a body.
In the discussion below, ''body'' refers to a celestial body and ''object'' refers to a much smaller object that might rest on a body.
where g is the surface gravity at any given point on any given body and m is an object's mass.
where g is the surface gravity at any given point on any given body and m is an object's mass.
The concept of weight still has a practical meaning in the planning of missions, crewed or non-crewed, to various celestial bodies. Weight is the force that a spacecraft's engines will need to counteract during liftoff and landing. Moreover the difference in the weight of a man on Earth and on a body to be explored will dictate how much equipment an exploratory crewman can carry on that body.
The concept of weight still has a practical meaning in the planning of missions, crewed or non-crewed, to various celestial bodies. Weight is the force that a spacecraft's engines will need to counteract during liftoff and landing. Moreover, the difference in the weight of a man on Earth and on a body to be explored will dictate how much equipment an exploratory crewman can carry on that body.
== Calculation of surface gravity ==
== Calculation of surface gravity ==