Gravitational Force Calculator

Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation:

\[ F = G \times \frac{m_1 \times m_2}{r^2} \]

Gravitational Force (F):

Unit Converter ▲

Unit Converter ▼

From:	To:

1. What is Gravitational Force?

Gravitational force is the attractive force between any two objects with mass. It's described by Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation and is one of the four fundamental forces of nature.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation:

\[ F = G \times \frac{m_1 \times m_2}{r^2} \]

Where:

\( F \) — Gravitational force (newtons)
\( G \) — Gravitational constant (6.674 × 10⁻¹¹ N·m²/kg²)
\( m_1 \) — Mass of first object (kg)
\( m_2 \) — Mass of second object (kg)
\( r \) — Distance between centers of mass (meters)

Explanation: The force is directly proportional to the product of the masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

3. Importance of Gravitational Force

Details: Gravitational force governs celestial mechanics (planetary orbits, tides), affects time (gravitational time dilation), and is crucial for understanding astrophysical phenomena like black holes.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter masses in kilograms and distance in meters. All values must be positive numbers. For astronomical calculations, use scientific notation (e.g., 5.972e24 for Earth's mass).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why is the gravitational constant so small?
A: The gravitational force between everyday objects is extremely weak compared to other fundamental forces. The small constant reflects this weakness.

Q2: Does this work for very large masses/distances?
A: For extremely strong gravitational fields or cosmological distances, Einstein's General Relativity provides more accurate results.

Q3: How does gravity compare between Earth and a human?
A: Using Earth's mass (5.972 × 10²⁴ kg) and radius (6.371 × 10⁶ m), you can calculate the force on a person's mass.

Q4: Why is the force inversely proportional to r²?
A: This "inverse square law" occurs because gravitational influence spreads out over the surface area of a sphere (4πr²) as distance increases.

Q5: Can gravitational force be negative?
A: No, the force is always attractive (positive value). The direction is indicated by the vector nature of force, not its sign.