Law of Gravitation
The law of gravitation states that every object in the universe attracts every other object with a force that depends on their masses and the distance between them. This force is called gravitational force and it acts along the line joining the centers of the two bodies.
According to Newton’s law of gravitation, the magnitude of the gravitational force between two bodies is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers. This relationship is expressed by the formula
F = G m₁m₂ / r²,
where F is the gravitational force, m₁ and m₂ are the masses of the two bodies, r is the distance between their centers, and G is the universal gravitational constant.
Gravitational force is always attractive in nature. It does not depend on the medium between the objects and acts over very large distances. Because of this force, planets revolve around the sun, the moon revolves around the earth, and objects fall toward the surface of the earth.
The universal gravitational constant G has the same value everywhere in the universe. Its small numerical value explains why gravitational force is very weak compared to other fundamental forces such as electric or magnetic forces, yet it becomes significant when large masses are involved.
The law of gravitation explains several natural phenomena. It accounts for the motion of planets and satellites, the formation of tides in seas and oceans, and the falling of objects toward the earth. It also helps in determining the mass of the earth and other celestial bodies.
IN TO THE PHYSICS
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