1. The acceleration due to gravity is the rate at which an object accelerates when falling freely near the surface of the Earth. 2. It is a constant and denoted by the symbol $g$. 3. Its standard value on Earth is approximately $$9.8\,m/s^2$$. 4. This means that the velocity of a freely falling object increases by $9.8\,m/s$ every second in the absence of air resistance. 5. This quantity is central in physics and defines the downward force objects experience due to Earth's gravitational pull.