1. What is Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation?

Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation states that every particle attracts every other particle in the universe with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation:

Where:

• \( F \) — Gravitational force (N)
• \( G \) — Gravitational constant (6.67430 × 10⁻¹¹ m³ kg⁻¹ s⁻²)
• \( m_1 \) — Mass of first object (kg)
• \( m_2 \) — Mass of second object (kg)
• \( r \) — Distance between centers of the masses (m)

Explanation: The equation shows that gravitational force increases with mass and decreases with the square of the distance between objects.

3. Importance of Gravitational Force Calculation

Details: Understanding gravitational forces is essential for astronomy, space exploration, satellite technology, and understanding fundamental physics principles.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter masses in kilograms and distance in meters. All values must be positive numbers. For astronomical calculations, use scientific notation.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is the value of G?
A: The gravitational constant G is approximately 6.67430 × 10⁻¹¹ m³ kg⁻¹ s⁻².

Q2: Why is the force so small for everyday objects?
A: Because G is an extremely small number, the gravitational force between everyday objects is negligible compared to other forces like electromagnetism.

Q3: Does this equation work for all distances?
A: It works well for most practical purposes, but for extremely strong gravitational fields (near black holes) or very small distances (quantum scales), general relativity or quantum gravity theories are needed.

Q4: How does this relate to weight?
A: Your weight is the gravitational force between you and the Earth. On Earth's surface, this simplifies to weight = mass × g (where g ≈ 9.81 m/s²).

Q5: Can this calculate orbits?
A: Combined with Newton's laws of motion, yes. The gravitational force provides the centripetal force needed for circular orbits.