Gravitation

To understand where the intensity of the gravitational field of Earth is maximum, we must consider Earth's shape and gravitational principles. Earth is not a perfect sphere but an oblate spheroid; it is slightly flattened at the poles and bulging at the equator. This shape affects how gravitational forces are distributed.

Gravitational field intensity ( ) is determined by the formula:

g =

where:

• is the gravitational constant,
• is the mass of the Earth,
• is the distance from the center of the Earth.

Since the radius ( ) is smaller at the poles compared to the equator due to the Earth's oblate shape, the gravitational field intensity is stronger where is smaller. Thus, gravity is strongest at the poles.

The maximum intensity of Earth's gravitational field is observed at the poles, making the correct choice: Poles