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The only reason why planets orbit the sun is that the sun exerts a strong gravitational attraction on those planets. We know from Newtonian mechanics that the momentum of the planets would cause them to move in straight lines, if there was not another force that pulled them into curved orbits. Newton's law of universal gravitation gives us a formula which allows us to calculate the strength of that force.

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13y ago
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6mo ago

The Universal Law of Gravitation describes the mutual attraction between two objects with mass. It states that the force of gravity between the objects is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.

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14y ago

Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation describes the motion of all bodies, big and small, as caused by gravity and their masses. Simply stated, the force between two bodies is proportional to the product of their masses divided by the square of the distance between them. When combined with the fact that the force on a body equals its mass times its acceleration, this tells us that the acceleration of any body due to gravity is proportional to the mass of the body causing the gravity divided by the distance from its center squared.

While this may not seem so important, it was revolutionary at its time. For centuries people believed that a heavier object would have to fall faster than a lighter one, but in reality, they both fall at the same rate. In addition, it also states that all objects, even celestial ones are subject to these laws. So not only does an apple fall to the Earth but so to does the Earth to the Sun, Our solar system to other solar systems, and even galaxies towards each other. Using just this simple equation and basic physical properties, we can predict and describe the motion of nearly every body, no matter how large, in the entire universe!

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12y ago

explain that gravitational force:

- causes the planets to orbit the sun?

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Q: What does the Universal Law of Gravitation describe?
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What is the law of Universal Gativation?

There is no law known as the "law of Universal Gativation." It is possible that you may be referring to the law of Universal Gravitation, which is a fundamental principle in physics formulated by Sir Isaac Newton to describe the force of gravity between two objects based on their masses and distance.


What does the law of universal gravitation apply to?

The law of universal gravitation applies to all objects with mass in the universe, governing the attractive force between them. It explains the gravitational interaction between celestial bodies such as planets, moons, and stars, as well as objects on Earth.


Is gravity an example of a scientific law?

Gravity is a fundamental force of nature, not a scientific law. Scientific laws describe how nature behaves under certain conditions, while gravity is a force that causes objects to be attracted to each other. The law that describes gravity is Newton's law of universal gravitation.


The law of gravitation is termed universal because it is a property of all material objects?

The law of gravitation is universal because it applies to all objects with mass. It states that every object in the universe attracts every other object with a force proportional to their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. This principle applies to all material objects and governs the force of gravity between them.


Who was given credit for discovering gravity?

Sir Isaac Newton is credited with discovering gravity. He formulated the law of universal gravitation, which explains how all objects with mass are attracted to each other. His work revolutionized the field of physics and laid the foundation for classical mechanics.

Related questions

Universal law of gravitation is given by?

The universal law of gravitation is given by Issac Newton.


What year was the universal law of Gravitation discovered?

Isaac Newton discovered the universal law of gravitation in 1687.


What does the universal law of gravitation sate?

It states newtons law of gravitation


What developed the universal law gravitation?

Isaac newton created the universal law of gravitation.


Where did newton formulate the universal law of gravitation?

He was in an orchard examining apples falling when he formulated the Universal Law of Gravitation.


Why is the universal law of gravitation universal?

The law applies to everything in the universe.


What scientist defined the universal law of gravitation?

Sir Isaac Newton is the scientist who defined the universal law of gravitation.


What is the difference between the gravitation and law of universal gravitation?

Gravitation is the natural force of attraction that exists between all objects with mass, while the law of universal gravitation is a scientific principle formulated by Newton that quantifies this force as being directly proportional to the product of the masses of the objects and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. In essence, gravitation is the phenomenon, whereas the law of universal gravitation mathematically describes how this force behaves.


Who developed the law of gravitation?

The Law of Universal Gravitation is derived from observations by Isaac Newton, called induction.


Which laws did Isaac Newton develop?

Isaac Newton developed the laws of motion and the law of universal gravitation. The three laws of motion describe how objects move when forces are applied to them. The law of universal gravitation explains the gravitational force between all objects with mass in the universe.


What is the law of Universal Gativation?

There is no law known as the "law of Universal Gativation." It is possible that you may be referring to the law of Universal Gravitation, which is a fundamental principle in physics formulated by Sir Isaac Newton to describe the force of gravity between two objects based on their masses and distance.


What is an example of universal gravitation?

The law of Universal Gravitation states that every object in the universe attracts every other object.