How gravity works on Earth and in the universe
How gravity works on Earth and in the universe
Learn about the concept of gravitational force in Newton's theory of gravitation.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Transcript
When a soccer player kicks the ball high in the air, everyone knows that it will soon return to Earth.
The reason is gravity, which is the universal force of attraction that acts between all matter. All objects attract one another, but the force of gravity between most objects is so weak that it’s not noticeable.
What makes the ball fall to Earth is the immense mass of our planet compared with the small mass of the ball.
The large mass means the force between Earth and the ball is very strong. Earth’s mass is so large that the ball’s force has little effect on it. The ball’s mass, however, is so small that the ball is pulled toward Earth.
Sir Isaac Newton published the first quantitative theory of gravitation in 1687.
Newton observed events such as a falling apple and concluded that every object in the universe attracts every other object.
Newton proposed that the force of gravity we experience on Earth is the same force that acts throughout the universe.
He stated that the gravitational force depends on two factors. These factors are the masses of the objects and their distance from one another.
More massive objects attract one another more than less massive ones…
… and objects experience greater effects of gravity when they are nearer to each other.
Newton showed that as long as the distance between objects does not change, the force of gravity is constant, even if the objects are moving.
For example, the gravitational force between the Moon and Earth remains the same as the Moon orbits Earth. The Moon has a smaller mass, so it falls toward Earth, but the Moon’s forward motion continually balances the gravitational effect to create an orbit.
On Earth the continuous gravitational relationship between Earth and the Moon creates another effect—the tides.
The Moon's gravitational force pulls the oceans upward. As Earth rotates on its axis and the Moon revolves around Earth, the oceans rise and fall in response to the shifting force of the Moon's gravity.
The reason is gravity, which is the universal force of attraction that acts between all matter. All objects attract one another, but the force of gravity between most objects is so weak that it’s not noticeable.
What makes the ball fall to Earth is the immense mass of our planet compared with the small mass of the ball.
The large mass means the force between Earth and the ball is very strong. Earth’s mass is so large that the ball’s force has little effect on it. The ball’s mass, however, is so small that the ball is pulled toward Earth.
Sir Isaac Newton published the first quantitative theory of gravitation in 1687.
Newton observed events such as a falling apple and concluded that every object in the universe attracts every other object.
Newton proposed that the force of gravity we experience on Earth is the same force that acts throughout the universe.
He stated that the gravitational force depends on two factors. These factors are the masses of the objects and their distance from one another.
More massive objects attract one another more than less massive ones…
… and objects experience greater effects of gravity when they are nearer to each other.
Newton showed that as long as the distance between objects does not change, the force of gravity is constant, even if the objects are moving.
For example, the gravitational force between the Moon and Earth remains the same as the Moon orbits Earth. The Moon has a smaller mass, so it falls toward Earth, but the Moon’s forward motion continually balances the gravitational effect to create an orbit.
On Earth the continuous gravitational relationship between Earth and the Moon creates another effect—the tides.
The Moon's gravitational force pulls the oceans upward. As Earth rotates on its axis and the Moon revolves around Earth, the oceans rise and fall in response to the shifting force of the Moon's gravity.