If the Earth’s radius decreases by 1% but its mass remains constant, how would this change affect the gravitational acceleration (g) at its surface?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The correct answer is option 1 i.e. It would increase by about 2%.
If the Earth’s radius becomes 1% smaller while its mass stays the same, the surface of the planet would move closer to its center, strengthening the pull of gravity. Since gravitational acceleration depends on how close an object is to the Earth’s mass, a smaller radius means a stronger gravitational pull. The change may seem small, but even a 1% reduction in radius leads to roughly a 2% increase in surface gravity.