* Proportional to the product of their masses: The more massive the objects, the stronger the gravitational pull between them.
* Inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers: The farther apart the objects are, the weaker the gravitational force.
Mathematically, this can be expressed as:
F = G * (m₁ * m₂) / r²
Where:
* F is the force of gravity
* G is the gravitational constant (approximately 6.674 × 10⁻¹¹ N⋅m²/kg²)
* m₁ and m₂ are the masses of the two objects
* r is the distance between the centers of the two objects
Key points to remember:
* Gravity is always attractive: Objects never repel each other due to gravity.
* It's a long-range force: Gravity acts over vast distances, holding the planets in orbit around the Sun and galaxies together.
* It's the weakest of the fundamental forces: Compared to the strong and weak nuclear forces, and the electromagnetic force, gravity is significantly weaker.
This law is fundamental to understanding the motion of planets, stars, and galaxies. It explains why we stay on the ground, how tides are created, and how stars form and evolve.
