is the value of g independent of mass?

No, the value of g, the acceleration due to gravity, is not independent of mass. The value of g actually depends on two factors: the mass of the Earth and the distance from the center of the Earth.

To understand this, we need to look at Newton's law of universal gravitation, which states that every object in the universe attracts every other object with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers.

Mathematically, the formula for the acceleration due to gravity (g) is:

g = G * M / r^2

Where:
- G is the gravitational constant
- M is the mass of the Earth
- r is the distance from the center of the Earth

As you can see, the value of g depends on the mass of the Earth (M). If the Earth's mass were to change, the value of g would also change.

However, the value of g does not depend on the mass of the object experiencing the gravitational force. This is known as the equivalence principle, which states that the gravitational force experienced by an object is independent of its mass. So regardless of whether an object is heavy or light, its acceleration due to gravity will be the same.

In conclusion, while the value of g depends on the mass of the Earth, it does not depend on the mass of the object experiencing the gravitational force.