The force of gravity is equal to the weight of an object.This means that the weight of the cat is the measurement of the force of Earth’s gravity pulling the cat down (toward the center of the Earth)

The g-force is a common term used to describe the force that an accelerating object “feels.”

A normal g-force is equal to 1, which is the force felt when accelerating at 9.8 m/s². (This is the average acceleration of objects that is free falling on Earth.)

An Example of Gravity and G-Force

When riding on a roller coaster, you feel a higher than normal g-force when the car’s path curves upward. You feel as if you are being pulled down. In other words, you feel as if you weigh more.

When the roller coaster path curves downward, their is a reverse feeling. During this motion the g-force decreases. Generally the g-force in this downward path is less than 1, so you feel much lighter and may even have a feeling of floating upward.

Enrichment Information for Learning About Gravity and G-Forces

The following information introduces terms that can be researched further. This provides activities for more advanced learners.

The relationship between force and acceleration stems from Newton’s Second Law of Motion, F = ma, where F is force, m is mass and a is acceleration. This equation shows that with a constant acceleration, as the mass increases the force increases. Thus, objects with different masses experience the same g-force, since they have the same acceleration. Yet, the force of gravity on objects of different masses is different. The greater the mass of the object, the greater the force of gravity acting on it.