Gravitation is a force that claims that all objects on Earth and in space are attracted to one another. The gravitational force exerted on an object is proportional to its mass; the greater the mass of an object, the greater the gravitational force exerted on it by other objects. All visible items, such as a pen, eraser, planets, mobile phone, watch, and refrigerator, are attracted to one another in some way. With the Electromagnetic Force and the Nuclear Force, gravity is one of the non-contact forces.
Universal Law of Gravitation
Newton was motivated to discover the connection between falling bodies and celestial motions, according to early versions, when he watched an apple fall from a tree and thought that if the gravitational force could reach above the ground to a tree, it could also reach the Sun. The idea of Newton’s apple is a part of mythology all around the world, and it may or may not be true. It is held in high regard because Newton’s universal law of gravitation and laws of motion answered long-standing issues about nature and supported the idea of nature’s underlying simplicity and unity.
Scientists continue to hope that their continuous investigations into nature will reveal fundamental simplicity. The gravitational force is a straightforward force. It is always appealing, and its attractiveness is solely determined by the masses involved and the distance between them.
In modern language, Newton’s universal law of gravitation states that every particle in the universe attracts every other particle along a line connecting them with a force. The force they exert on each other is proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to their separation.
Gravity
In mechanics, gravity, often known as gravitation, is the universal force of attraction that impacts on all matter. It is the weakest known force in nature, and so has no bearing on the interior properties of ordinary matter.
Along with electromagnetism and the strong and weak nuclear forces, gravity is one of the four fundamental forces in the universe. Despite its widespread importance in keeping our feet from floating off the Earth, scientists are still baffled by gravity. Despite its pervasiveness and importance in keeping our feet from floating off the Earth, scientists are still confused by gravity.
When ancient scholars tried to explain the world, they came up with their own theories about why objects fell to the earth. According to physicist Richard Fitzpatrick of the University of Texas, Aristotle believed that objects have a natural propensity to travel toward the centre of the universe, which he considered to be the middle of the Earth.
Later luminaries, however, shifted our planet’s principal location in the cosmos. Nicolas Copernicus, a Polish polymath, observed that if the sun is the centre of the solar system, the paths of the planets in the sky make a lot more sense. Isaac Newton, a British mathematician and physicist, built on Copernicus’ ideas by reasoning that, just as the sun tugs on the planets, all objects are attracted to one another.
Measurement of Gravity
According to Sir Isaac Newton, Gravity is defined as:
Every particle of matter in the world attracts every other particle with a force that is proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of their separation.
Mathematically, the above statement can be expressed as:
Here,
gravitational force between the two bodies
gravitational constant. Its value is =
masses of the two bodies
distance between the centre of the two bodies
The intensity of the force is given by this equation, and as it is an attractive force, it will always be directed towards the other object. We can determine from the given equation that anything with mass is subject to gravity. Gravity is stronger for heavier objects. The gravitational force between two objects becomes stronger as they get closer. With increasing distance, gravity becomes weaker. The gravitational force between two objects is calculated using the formula above.
Significant Facts About Gravity
Despite the fact that gravity is the weakest of the four known fundamental forces of nature, it is the most powerful. Gravity, although being the weakest force, holds vast solar systems and galaxies together.
Over the entire surface of the earth, the speed of free fall is constant. This indicates that everything falls at the same rate. On Earth, its speed is estimated to be 9.8 m/s.
The weight of a person is the force of attraction between that person and the Earth.
The gravitational force on the moon is around 16% of that on Earth, Mars has about 38% of Earth’s gravity, and Jupiter has 2.5 times Earth’s gravity.
Despite being the weakest of the four fundamental forces, gravity has an unlimited range.
Conclusion
Gravitation is the most powerful force in the world. The moon’s gravitational pull is what causes the ocean tides to rise and fall. The gravitational force of the sun keeps Earth in orbit and allows it to revolve without deviating from its circular course (orbit), so we can enjoy the sun’s light and temperature in moderation.
Gravity is the force that keeps humans on our planet and keeps the atmosphere in balance. The gravitational force is independent of the object’s size and distance. Gravity occurs regardless of how big or little an object is. Gravity may be found everywhere, from subatomic particles to galaxy clusters.