* Gravity has infinite reach: While gravity weakens with distance, it technically never completely disappears. Even at the edge of the solar system, Earth's gravity still has a tiny influence.
* Escape velocity: The concept of "escape velocity" is more relevant. This is the speed a spaceship needs to completely escape Earth's gravitational pull and never fall back. For Earth, escape velocity is about 11.2 kilometers per second (7 miles per second).
* Gradual transition: A spaceship doesn't suddenly "escape" gravity. Instead, Earth's gravitational influence decreases gradually as the spaceship travels further away. Think of it like a tugboat pulling a ship, the further the ship gets, the weaker the tugboat's influence.
In practical terms:
* A spaceship is considered to be in "Earth orbit" when it's constantly falling towards Earth but moving forward at a speed that keeps it from hitting the ground.
* Beyond a certain distance, Earth's gravity becomes negligible compared to the Sun's gravity, and the spaceship is effectively under the Sun's influence. This point is often considered to be the beginning of interplanetary space.
So, there's no single magical point where Earth's gravity "stops." It's more about a gradual decrease in influence until other celestial bodies dominate.
