Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation
The force of gravity between two objects is described by Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation:
* F = G * (m1 * m2) / r²
Where:
* F is the force of gravity
* G is the gravitational constant (a fixed value)
* m1 and m2 are the masses of the two objects
* r is the distance between the centers of the two objects
The Relationship Between Distance and Gravity
Notice that the distance (r) is squared in the denominator of the equation. This means:
* Inverse Square Relationship: The force of gravity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the objects.
Increasing Distance by 4
If you increase the distance between the objects by a factor of 4, the force of gravity will decrease by a factor of 16 (4²).
Example
Let's say the original force of gravity is F. If you increase the distance by 4:
* New Force = F / 4² = F / 16
Conclusion
Increasing the distance between two objects by a factor of 4 will decrease the force of gravity between them by a factor of 16.
