Gravity for Geodesy I: Foundations

Skill Level: 2

Completion Time: .50 - .75 h

Description: The first of a two-part series, this 40-50 minute non-narrated interactive lesson is intended to help professionals with basic science background better understand the Earth’s gravity field and what causes its variations. Of particular interest to earth/physical scientists as well as surveying engineers, this lesson covers Newton’s laws with a focus on Earth’s gravity field as it applies to geodesy. After a review of the basics of Newtonian gravitation and gravity, it explores how density, altitude, and latitude affect gravity.