Gravity is a force between any two objects with mass, such as the Earth and the Sun. Gravity increases as the mass of the objects increases and decreases with distance. It is this force that keeps objects in orbit.
Gravity is an attractive force between any two objects that have mass. The strength of the gravitational force depends on two factors: the amount of mass and the distance between the objects. It is one of the four fundamental forces, the other three being electromagnetic, strong, and weak forces.
Gravitational forces keep us and everything on Earth stuck the ground and gives objects weight. Gravitational field strength varies on different planets. This means that while objects may have the same mass on wherever they are in the solar system, their weight can vary. The strength of gravity on Earth is 9.8N/kg whilst on the moon the gravitational field strength is one sixth of that. Gravitational force also keeps every object from the international space station to planets in orbit. People often think that the reason that astronauts float on the international space station is due to a lack of gravity. The strength of gravity at the distance the space station is from Earth is 90% of the strength on Earth. The reason the astronauts float is that they are effectively in free fall around the Earth. The gravitational force also keeps groups of objects together, like stars in our galaxy or planets in our solar system.Galileo experimented by rolling balls down inclines and found that objects fall at the same increasing rate, proportional to how long they've been falling. Gravitational force was first described mathematically by British Scientist Isaac Newton. The famous story says that Newton discovered gravity whilst he was watching a falling apple. While the part of the story about the apple isn’t true, Newton did describe gravity as a force. This led to an equation that allowed the strength of gravity to be calculated mathematically using the masses of the objects and the distance between them.
The next large revolution in understanding gravity came with Einstein’s paper on general relativity. In this, he built on the ideas of Newton and described gravity as the warping of spacetime. Einstein predicted that this warping of space time would also cause light to bend around objects with a lot of mass. Recently, the existence of gravitational waves has been discovered. These waves were predicted over 100 years ago by Einstein and their discovery provides further support for Einstein’s theory.
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Try it for Free!Important Scientists Who Contributed to the Study of Gravitational Force
- Galileo Galilei
- Isaac Newton
- Loránd Eötvös
- Albert Einstein
- Robert Dicke
- Carl Brans
- Kip Thorne
- Barry Barish
- Rainer Weiss
How Tos about What is Gravitational Force?
How to demonstrate gravitational force in the classroom using simple materials
Use this hands-on activity to help students see and feel the effects of gravitational force with everyday objects.
Gather materials like balls, paper, and magnets
Collect items such as a tennis ball, sheet of paper, and a magnet to compare how different forces act on objects. Having tangible items makes the concept more engaging for students.
Drop objects from the same height and observe
Ask students to drop a ball and a crumpled paper from the same height and watch how gravity pulls them down. Discuss why they fall at the same rate or differently.
Discuss the difference between gravity and other forces
Show how a magnet pulls a metal object, then compare it to how gravity pulls all objects down. Highlight that gravity affects everything, not just certain materials.
Encourage students to predict and record results
Have students predict what will happen before each drop and write down their observations. This helps build scientific thinking and reinforces the concept of gravitational force.
Frequently Asked Questions about What is Gravitational Force?
What is gravitational force in simple terms?
Gravitational force is the natural attraction between two objects with mass. This force pulls objects toward one another, keeping us on Earth and holding planets in orbit around the sun.
How does gravitational force affect everyday life?
Gravitational force keeps us grounded, makes things fall when dropped, and helps liquids flow downward. It's why we don't float away and why objects always move toward the ground.
Who discovered gravitational force?
Sir Isaac Newton is credited with discovering gravitational force in the 17th century. He described how gravity causes objects to attract each other, leading to his famous law of universal gravitation.
What is the difference between gravitational force and gravity?
Gravity is the force that pulls objects toward each other, like Earth pulling you down. Gravitational force refers to the strength of that attraction between any two masses.
Why is gravitational force important for our planet?
Gravitational force holds our atmosphere in place, allows water to flow, and keeps Earth orbiting the sun. Without it, life as we know it would not exist.
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