An experimental rocket ascends vertically to a height of 500km above Earth’s surface.
(i) Calculate the value of the acceleration due to gravity at this altitude, taking Earth’s radius R=6.4×103km and g=9.8ms−2.
(ii) Determine the percentage decrease of g compared with its surface value.
(iii) Explain whether the decrease you obtained would produce a significant change in the apparent weight of an astronaut of mass 70kg.