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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: This fundamental force governs planetary motion, tides, and the structure of galaxies. It's essential for understanding celestial mechanics and space exploration.
Tips: Enter masses in kilograms and distance in meters. All values must be positive numbers. The result shows the gravitational force in newtons (N).
Q1: What is the gravitational constant (G)?
A: G is a fundamental physical constant that measures the strength of gravity. Its value is approximately 6.674×10⁻¹¹ N·m²/kg².
Q2: Why is the force so small for everyday objects?
A: Because G is extremely small, the gravitational force between everyday objects is negligible compared to other forces like electromagnetism.
Q3: Does this equation work for very large distances?
A: For astronomical distances, general relativity provides more accurate results, though Newton's law remains a good approximation in most cases.
Q4: What about very massive objects?
A: The equation works for any masses, but for extremely massive objects (like black holes), relativistic effects become significant.
Q5: How accurate is this calculation?
A: The calculation is mathematically exact based on Newton's law, though real-world measurements may have experimental uncertainties.