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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 gravitational equation:
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 fundamental in astrophysics, orbital mechanics, and understanding planetary motion. It helps calculate orbits of satellites, planets, and other celestial bodies.
Tips: Enter masses in kilograms and distance in meters. All values must be positive numbers (distance must be greater than zero).
Q1: Why is the gravitational constant so small?
A: The gravitational force is extremely weak compared to other fundamental forces, which is why we don't notice it in everyday interactions between small objects.
Q2: Does this equation work for any distance?
A: The equation works well for most astronomical distances, but for very strong gravitational fields (near black holes) or very small distances (quantum scales), more complex theories are needed.
Q3: Why is distance squared in the equation?
A: Gravitational force follows an inverse-square law because the force spreads out over the surface area of an expanding sphere (which increases with the square of the radius).
Q4: How accurate is this calculation?
A: For most practical purposes, it's very accurate. However, Einstein's theory of general relativity provides more precise calculations in extreme conditions.
Q5: Can I calculate the force between me and Earth?
A: Yes - use your mass (in kg), Earth's mass (5.972 × 10²⁴ kg), and Earth's radius (6.371 × 10⁶ m) for the distance.