The acceleration due to gravity on the surface of the Earth is maximum and it

The acceleration due to gravity (g) is maximum at the Earth's surface and decreases as one moves either above or below it. When moving to higher altitudes, the distance from the Earth's center increases, and since gravity follows an inverse-square relationship with distance, the value of g decreases [t1][t6][t7]. Conversely, as one moves below the surface (depth), the mass of the Earth contributing to the gravitational pull effectively decreases. Mathematically, the value of g at a depth 'd' is given by g(1 - d/R), where R is the Earth's radius [t3]. This linear decrease continues until g reaches zero at the Earth's center [t3][t6]. While some local variations (gravity anomalies) exist due to uneven mass distribution [c2][c4], the general physical principle dictates that g decreases with both increasing altitude and increasing depth [t4][t9].

Sources

1. [1] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 4: Earths Interior > Gravitation > p. 58
2. [2] FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 2: The Origin and Evolution of the Earth > Indirect Sources > p. 19