Gravitational field strength is equivalent to which of the following?

Gravitational field strength is defined as the force per unit mass acting on an object in a gravitational field. This can be understood using the formula:

[ g = \frac{F}{m} ]

where ( g ) is the gravitational field strength, ( F ) is the gravitational force (or weight), and ( m ) is the mass of the object.

At Earth's surface, the gravitational field strength is approximately ( 9.81 , \text{N/kg} ). This means that for every kilogram of mass, there is a force of approximately 9.81 newtons pulling it downwards due to gravity. Therefore, the gravitational field strength can be seen as the weight of a 1 kg mass because the weight is the force acting on that mass due to gravity.

The weight of a 1 kg mass is calculated as:

[ \text{Weight} = m \cdot g ]

Substituting for 1 kg, it gives us the force acting on this mass, which effectively equals the gravitational field strength itself. Thus, the correct choice reflects this relationship accurately, connecting the concept of gravitational field strength directly to the weight experienced by a 1 kg mass in a gravitational field.