Final answer:
No, the acceleration due to gravity on Earth cannot naturally be more than 98 m/s²; it's approximately 9.80 m/s², although accelerations exceeding this figure can occur in other contexts, such as in testing human endurance in high-speed ejections where forces are measured in multiples of 'g'.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks whether the acceleration due to gravity can be more than 98 m/s². The acceleration due to gravity, denoted as 'g', is commonly accepted to be 9.80 m/s² near the Earth's surface. This value can slightly vary between 9.78 m/s² to 9.83 m/s² depending on factors such as latitude, altitude, and geological structures. However, 'g' is distinct from other forces that might be referred to in multiples of 'g'. For instance, in tests for human endurance and jet fighter ejections, accelerations of 45 g's have been achieved, equating to 45×9.80 m/s², or approximately 440 m/s². Although these large numbers represent accelerations due to forces other than gravity, the actual acceleration due to gravity itself remains near the standard value of 9.80 m/s² and does not reach as high as 98 m/s² under normal Earth conditions.