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Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation:
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Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation states that every particle attracts every other particle in the universe 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.
The calculator uses Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation:
Where:
Explanation: The force between two objects increases with their masses and decreases with the square of the distance between them.
Details: Understanding gravitational forces is crucial for astronomy, space exploration, satellite technology, and understanding planetary motion.
Tips: Enter masses in kilograms and distance in meters. All values must be positive numbers. For planetary calculations, use average masses and distances.
Q1: What is the gravitational constant (G)?
A: It's a physical constant involved in the calculation of gravitational force, approximately 6.67430 × 10⁻¹¹ m³/kg·s².
Q2: Why is the force proportional to the product of masses?
A: The gravitational attraction between two objects depends on both masses - doubling either mass doubles the force.
Q3: Why does distance have a squared relationship?
A: Gravitational force follows an inverse-square law because it spreads out in three-dimensional space as distance increases.
Q4: Can this be used for any two objects?
A: Yes, the law applies to all objects with mass, though the force is only noticeable for very massive objects like planets.
Q5: How accurate is this for planets?
A: For spherical objects with uniform density, you can treat them as point masses at their centers. For irregular objects, calculations become more complex.