F = G * (m1 * m2) / r²
Where:
* F is the force of gravity between the two objects
* 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:
* Inverse Square Law: The force of gravity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance between the objects. This means that if you double the distance between two objects, the gravitational force between them decreases by a factor of four.
* Universal: This law applies to any two objects with mass, regardless of their size, shape, or composition.
* Attractive Force: Gravity is always an attractive force, meaning that objects with mass pull on each other.
Example:
Let's say you have two objects:
* Object 1: Mass = 10 kg
* Object 2: Mass = 5 kg
* Distance between their centers: 2 meters
The gravitational force between them would be:
F = (6.674 × 10⁻¹¹ N⋅m²/kg²) * (10 kg * 5 kg) / (2 m)²
F ≈ 8.34 × 10⁻¹⁰ N
This is a very small force, which is why we don't usually feel the gravitational attraction between everyday objects. However, it's a significant force when dealing with massive objects like planets and stars.
