1. Mass: The more massive the objects are, the stronger the gravitational force between them. This is directly proportional, meaning if you double the mass of one object, the force doubles.
2. Distance: The closer the objects are, the stronger the gravitational force. This is an inverse square relationship, meaning if you double the distance between the objects, the force becomes four times weaker.
These two factors are encapsulated in Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation:
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
Therefore, to summarize:
* Increasing mass increases gravitational force.
* Decreasing distance increases gravitational force.
It's important to note that gravity is a weak force, and only becomes significant when dealing with objects of immense mass, like planets or stars.
