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By Swati Singh
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Updated on 9 Jun 2025, 12:42 IST
The Universal Law of Gravitation is one of the most important laws in physics. It was proposed by Sir Isaac Newton in the 17th century. This law helps us understand how objects attract each other in the universe. It explains why an apple falls from a tree and why planets orbit the sun. The gravitational force is the force of attraction between any two objects that have mass.
The Universal Law of Gravitation states that:
“Every object in the universe attracts every other object with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.”
This means:
This is known as the inverse square law of gravitation.
The formula for universal law of gravitation is:
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F=G⋅m1⋅m2r2F = \frac{G \cdot m_1 \cdot m_2}{r^2}F=r2G⋅m1⋅m2
Where:
This formula helps calculate the force between two objects based on their mass and distance relationship.
Here are some real-life examples of universal gravitation:
These are all applications of gravitational law in everyday life.
This is why the attraction between masses like the Earth and the moon is noticeable, but the gravitational pull between small objects around us is very weak.
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Isaac Newton’s contribution to physics is huge. Along with the universal law of gravitation, he also gave the three laws of motion. These laws, together with his gravity theory, helped scientists understand how things move and interact in space and on Earth.
While the full mathematical derivation of universal law of gravitation involves advanced concepts, a basic idea can be shown using Newton's observations:
| Concept | Description |
| Primary Law | Universal Law of Gravitation |
| Formula | F=G⋅m1⋅m2r2F = \frac{G \cdot m_1 \cdot m_2}{r^2}F=r2G⋅m1⋅m2 |
| Gravitational Constant (G) | 6.674 × 10⁻¹¹ N·m²/kg² |
| Force Depends On | Mass and Distance |
| Type of Law | Inverse Square Law |
| Used In | Space science, physics, real life |
The Universal Law of Gravitation is a simple yet powerful law that explains how the force of gravity works in the universe. Whether it's the Earth’s gravitational pull or the orbit of planets, this law helps us understand it all. Thanks to Sir Isaac Newton, we have a clear explanation of how everything in space is connected by gravity.
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The Universal Law of Gravitation** says that every object in the universe pulls on every other object with a force. This force depends on their mass and the distance between them. More mass means more pull. More distance means less pull.
Sir Isaac Newton discovered the Universal Law of Gravitation. He noticed that the same force that causes an apple to fall also keeps the moon in orbit around the Earth.
Gravitational force** is the attraction between any two objects with mass. It is one of the four fundamental forces in physics.
The gravitational constant (G) is a number used in the gravitational formula to calculate the strength of the force. Its value is 6.674 × 10⁻¹¹ N·m²/kg².
Because the gravitational force decreases with the square of the distance. If the distance between two objects doubles, the force becomes four times weaker.
Examples include:
Objects falling to the ground
Satellites orbiting planets
The Earth and moon staying in orbit
Planets revolving around the sun
Yes, it works everywhere in the universe. It is a universal law because it applies to all objects, whether they are on Earth or in space.
No. The force depends on the mass of the objects and the distance between them. Heavier objects have a stronger pull, and closer objects attract more strongly.
It helps in calculating how planets move, how satellites stay in orbit, and how astronauts travel in space. It is a key part of understanding the physics of orbiting due to gravity.