The acceleration due to gravity on Earth, commonly denoted as little g, is measured in units of meters per second squared (m/s²). This measurement reflects how quickly an object’s velocity changes due to the Earth’s gravitational pull. Specifically, at the surface of the Earth, little g is approximately equal to 9.81 m/s².
To understand this better, consider that when an object is dropped from a height, it accelerates towards the Earth at this rate of 9.81 m/s², meaning that after one second, its speed increases by about 9.81 meters per second. The value can vary slightly depending on geographical location and altitude, but for most practical purposes, 9.81 m/s² is a standard approximation used in physics and engineering.