The acceleration due to gravity on the surface of earth depends upon the

Options

A. mass of the earth.
B. mass of the body
C. Both (a) and (b)
D. None of these

Answer

To determine what the acceleration due to gravity on the surface of the Earth depends upon, let's analyze the factors involved step by step.

### Step 1: Understanding Acceleration due to Gravity
The acceleration due to gravity (denoted as 'g') on the surface of the Earth is a constant value, approximately 9.8 m/s². This means that it does not change regardless of the mass of the object falling.

**Hint:** Remember that 'g' is a constant value for objects near the Earth's surface.

### Step 2: Identifying Factors Affecting 'g'
The formula for gravitational force is given by:
\[ F_g = \frac{G \cdot M_1 \cdot M_e}{R_e^2} \]
Where:
- \( F_g \) is the gravitational force,
- \( G \) is the gravitational constant,
- \( M_1 \) is the mass of the object,
- \( M_e \) is the mass of the Earth,
- \( R_e \) is the radius of the Earth.

**Hint:** Focus on the variables in the gravitational force formula to see which ones affect 'g'.

### Step 3: Analyzing the Formula
From the formula, we can see that the gravitational force depends on the mass of the Earth (\( M_e \)) and the radius of the Earth (\( R_e \)). The mass of the object (\( M_1 \)) does not affect the acceleration due to gravity because it cancels out when we set the gravitational force equal to the force due to acceleration (using Newton's second law).

**Hint:** Consider what happens to the formula when you set the forces equal to each other.

### Step 4: Conclusion
Thus, the acceleration due to gravity on the surface of the Earth primarily depends on:
- The mass of the Earth (\( M_e \))
- The radius of the Earth (\( R_e \))

Since the question asks what it depends on, the correct answer is that it depends on the mass of the Earth.

**Final Answer:** The acceleration due to gravity on the surface of the Earth depends upon the mass of the Earth.