Grade 12 · Physics
Gravitation
Why it matters
Newton's law of gravity.
Advanced20m readingPrerequisite: Uniform circular motion
What is Newton’s law of universal gravitation?
Short answer
Newton’s law of universal gravitation states that every mass attracts every other mass with a force proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them: F = Gm₁m₂/r². G is the gravitational constant. This single law explains falling objects, the Moon’s orbit, and the motion of planets.
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Frequently asked questions
- What does "inverse-square" mean here?
- Doubling the distance between two masses reduces the gravitational force to a quarter of its value.
- Why don’t we feel gravity between everyday objects?
- G is extremely small, so gravitational forces are only noticeable when at least one mass is very large, like a planet.