Question

the acceleration due to gravity is g = 9.8 m/s². one student argues that acceleration is a variable, since it is represented by a letter. another student claims its a constant, since it doesnt change. who is right? choose the correct answer below.
a. the first student is correct. it is a variable because it has a letter to represent it.
b. the second student is correct. it is a constant, since its value is 9.8. although it has a letter to represent it, the quantity is considered a constant.

Explanation:

To determine who is right, we analyze the nature of \( g \) (acceleration due to gravity). A constant is a quantity with a fixed value, while a variable can change. Here, \( g = 9.8\space m/s^2 \) has a fixed value (on Earth's surface, approximately) and doesn't change in the context of this problem. The fact that it's represented by a letter doesn't make it a variable; the key is its unchanging value. So the second student is correct.

Answer:

B. The second student is correct. It is a constant, since its value is 9.8. Although it has a letter to represent it, the quantity is considered a constant.