A mountaineer climbs to the summit of a peak that is 3.6km above sea level. The acceleration due to gravity at sea level is 9.81ms−2 and Earth’s radius may be taken as 6.4×103km.
(a) Calculate the value of the acceleration due to gravity at the summit.
(b) The mountaineer’s mass is 55kg. Find the percentage decrease in her weight at the summit compared with her weight at sea level.
(c) Comment on whether this change in weight would be perceptible without sensitive instruments.