Physics

Problem

A 2 kg body weighs 19.62 N at sea level. Its weight at a hill station is found to be 0.2 % less. Calculate the altitude of the station above sea level. Take Earth’s radius

R = 6.4 \times 10^{6}\,\text{m}

Intuitive explanation

Weight decreases with altitude because gravity weakens as you move farther from Earth's center. The key is recognizing that weight is proportional to $g$ , which falls off as $1/r^2$ —so a small percentage drop in weight tells you exactly how much the distance from Earth's center increased. Use the relationship between $g$ at sea level and $g$ at height $h$ to find the altitude.

Intuitive explanation

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