What is a "g" for electric fields?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Malicious
  • Start date Start date
Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The discussion clarifies that "g" is a unit of acceleration, specifically representing the acceleration experienced by an object due to Earth's gravity, quantified as 9.80665 m/s². Participants emphasized that "g" is not a unit of force, but rather the acceleration a mass experiences when falling freely under gravity. The conversation also highlighted the context of calculating electric field strength based on the acceleration of a proton experiencing 1 million "g's".

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic physics concepts, particularly acceleration and force.
  • Familiarity with the metric system and units of measurement.
  • Knowledge of electric fields and their relationship with charged particles.
  • Basic understanding of gravitational forces and their effects on mass.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the relationship between electric fields and acceleration of charged particles.
  • Learn about the calculation of electric field strength using the formula E = F/q.
  • Explore the implications of high acceleration environments on particle behavior.
  • Study the effects of gravity on different masses in various contexts.
USEFUL FOR

Students of physics, educators teaching mechanics, and anyone interested in understanding the principles of acceleration and electric fields.

Malicious
Messages
15
Reaction score
0
What is a "g"?

What is the electric field strength at a paoint in space where a protone (m=1.67x10^-27 kg) experiences an acceleration of 1 million "g's"?

My only question is:
What is a "g"?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Its a unit of force equal to the force exerted by gravity. Its basically the amount of force a body feels when its accelerated.
 
ranger said:
Its a unit of force equal to the force exerted by gravity. Its basically the amount of force a body feels when its accelerated.

No, it is a unit of acceleration, not a unit of force.

It is the acceleration of a mass falling freely near the Earth's surface (with no air resistance, etc).

1g = 9.80665 m/s^2.
 
Thanks guys. I can't believe I didn't know that "g" meant gravity.
 

Similar threads

Replies
6
Views
2K
  • · Replies 16 ·
Replies
16
Views
1K
Replies
14
Views
3K
Replies
12
Views
1K
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
966
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
  • · Replies 22 ·
Replies
22
Views
6K
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
46K
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
8K