Gravitational Constant

The force that an object feels when travelling along this warped path is called gravity.

The strength of this force depends on the gravitational constant.
Denoted by a ‘G’, it is a fundamental physical constant.
It was first accurately determined by Henry Cavendish in 1797.
G is an essential component of both Isaac Newton’s law of universal gravitation and Albert Einstein’s theory of general relativity.
The precise value of G is crucial to understand celestial mechanics and to determine the mass of celestial bodies.
Yet its value has been determined only with an uncertainty of about 22 parts per million.
The precise determination of it remains a subject of continuous research within the realm of experimental physics.