Franz-Helmert Experiment

The Franz-Helmert experiment, conducted in the late 19th century, aimed to test the properties of Earth's gravitational field. Researchers measured the weight of objects at different heights using a sensitive balance. They found that objects weighed slightly less at higher altitudes due to the weaker gravitational pull there. This finding contributed to our understanding of gravity and how it varies with distance from Earth’s center, helping shape modern physics and geodesy—the science of measuring Earth's shape and gravitational field. The experiment highlighted the relationship between gravity, altitude, and the Earth's mass distribution.