Modern Form Of Newton’s Law Of Universal Gravitation

Gravity, as well as gravitational force, can be written interchangeably with each other. However, they are not the same thing; they are quite different from one another. Gravity, as well as gravity force, happens between every matter that exists on this planet. It is also considered the weakest force on Earth and plays no part in defining the properties of any object. 

Gravity is the attractive force that acts between Earth and other objects, whereas gravitational force is the force that attracts each other. In this article, we will talk about the universal law of gravitation and what is the importance of the universal law of gravitation. 

What is the Universal Law Gravitational Force?

Issac Newton defined this law to explain the gravitational force. In simple words, this law means that every particle present on the Earth will attract another particle with some kind of force. This force can be said to be directly proportional to the product of their masses. At the same time, this force will also be inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. 

This force is what makes and defines every matter present in the universe. It also helps us define the mass of different objects and how something that falls from the ground will reach the surface or bounce back to us. This gravitational force that is present on the Earth is equal to the force that the Earth exerts on you. 

Universal Gravitational Constant

The universal gravitational constant can be expressed as the force between any two objects present in the universe. The equation is as follows: 

F = G Mm / r²

• F would represent the force of gravity. It will be measured using Newton(N) 
• G would be the gravitational force that will act between two objects ( 6.67 x 10-11 ). It will be the universal gravitational constant, and it is always used as the same number.
• M and m would be two different masses of objects. Masses would be measured in kilograms. 
• r would represent the distance between them, and it is in metres. 

Using the universal gravitational constant, one can determine the distance between two massive objects in the universe; you can also tell the distance between them. This universal gravitational constant can help you determine the forces between each of them. 

What is the Importance of Gravitational Force?

The gravitational force has so many advantages over any other force present on the Earth. However, it is not very important between a minute and minor objects. It plays a major role in defining massive objects like the moon, stars, etc. It is an important force in determining the distance and the amount of force that acts upon celestial bodies. 

This force also helps us in keeping the Earth and other similar bodies together. This force also helps keep our planet in orbit while doing the rotation. This force is so significant as it helps maintain the distance between two bodies and restricts them from making contact with each other. 

What do you mean by the difference between the gravitational constant and the acceleration due to gravity? 

• The gravitational constant is represented by a capital G, whereas the acceleration of gravity becomes g. 
• Gravitational constant is the force that acts between two bodies of one-kilogram mass and a distance of one metre between their centre points. Whereas, acceleration due to gravity is for free-falling objects. The objects that are falling due to gravity. 
• The gravitational constant is a constant, i.e. it never changes, while the acceleration of gravity varies according to the force and object.
• The gravitational constant unit is Nm²/kg². The acceleration of the gravity unit is m/s².

Questions on the Universal Law of Gravitation

Question 1: Why do two objects that are on the surface of the Earth not move towards each other? 

Answer: Everybody that is present in the universe is not attracted or does not move toward each other because of Newton’s law of gravity. Not only the gravitational force affects the motion or the attraction between two objects. There are several forces due to which objects in the universe do not collide with each other. 

Question 2: Define gravitational force with real-life examples. 

Answer: Gravitational force acts on everything on the Earth. Example: the leaves that fall on the ground or the fruits. Alternatively, the waterfall, a ball that could be thrown up the sky and falls back to the ground, can be some real-life examples of the gravitational forces that are acting on the planet. 

Conclusion

In the article, we learned about the major differences between gravity and gravitational force. The article also highlighted the relevance of the universal gravitational constant along with what is the importance of the universal law of gravitation. This force helps in the proper functioning of our cosmos. It attracts every particle in our cosmos with a force that is directly proportional to it. This force helps us to stay connected or bond on this planet. Otherwise, there would be no planet, only objects that are falling from a greater height and turning into ash.