What is Gravitational Force?
The Gravitational Force is the fundamental force of attraction between any two objects with mass. This concept was famously formulated by Sir Isaac Newton and is known as Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation.
The law states that every particle in the universe attracts every other particle with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers. This is the force that keeps planets in orbit around the sun and the moon in orbit around the Earth. It's also the force that pulls an apple to the ground.
The Gravitational Force Formula
The formula to calculate this force is:
- $F_g$: The Gravitational Force between the two objects, measured in Newtons (N).
- $G$: The Gravitational Constant, an empirical physical constant. Its value is approximately $6.67430 \times 10^{-11} \text{ N}\cdot\text{m}^2/\text{kg}^2$. This constant is what makes gravity a relatively weak force unless the masses involved are very large (like planets).
- $m_1$: The mass of the first object, in Kilograms (kg).
- $m_2$: The mass of the second object, in Kilograms (kg).
- $r$: The distance between the centers of the two objects, in meters (m). Notice the force drops off with the *square* of the distance, so doubling the distance reduces the force to one-fourth.
This calculator can be used to solve for any of the variables in this equation, providing insight into the relationship between mass, distance, and gravitational attraction. It's a key concept for understanding orbital mechanics and the large-scale structure of the universe.