What is Acceleration Due to Gravity (g)?

Every object in free fall near the Earth gains about $9.8\ \text{m/s}$ of speed every second, whatever its mass, when air resistance is ignored. The value of $g$ is slightly bigger at the poles than at the equator, and it becomes smaller with height or depth. On the Moon $g$ is about $1.6\ \text{m/s}^2$. Do not confuse $g$ with $G$, the universal gravitational constant.