Introduction to Gravitational Force

<p>It describes gravity as a curvature of spacetime. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Gravitational lensing. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The gravitational force decreases to a quarter of its original value. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The gravitational constant (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The gravitational force acting on an object's mass. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>It has both magnitude and direction, directed towards the mass source. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>It describes the motion of planets and satellites in their orbits. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A curvature of spacetime caused by mass and energy. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The bending of light around massive objects. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The gravitational force is quartered. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

A fundamental force of nature that attracts objects with mass.

The stronger the attraction between two objects, the greater their masses.

The farther apart two objects are, the weaker the gravitational force between them.

A mathematical formula describing the force of gravity between two objects.

A region of space where an object experiences a force due to the presence of another object's mass.

The weight of an object is the gravitational force acting on its mass.

Einstein's theory explains gravity as a curvature of spacetime caused by mass and energy.

Newton's law provides a good description of gravity for most everyday situations.

The gravitational constant (G) is a fundamental constant in physics, appearing in both Newton's law of universal gravitation and Einstein's equations. It is extremely small, indicating that gravitational forces between everyday objects are relatively weak. Its precise value is determined through experiments.

Gravitational potential energy represents the energy an object possesses due to its position within a gravitational field. It depends on the object's mass (m), the mass of the larger object creating the field (M), and the distance (r) between their centers. The formula for gravitational potential energy is: Ug = -G * (M * m) / r.

Escape velocity is the minimum speed an object needs to escape a planet's gravitational pull and not fall back. It depends on the planet's mass and radius. The greater the mass and smaller the radius, the higher the escape velocity.

Newton's law treats gravity as a force acting instantaneously across distances, like a magic pull between objects. Einstein's theory, however, describes gravity as a curvature of spacetime caused by mass and energy. This curvature affects the paths of objects, making them appear to 'fall' towards massive objects. Einstein's theory is more accurate for describing strong gravitational fields and high speeds.

Einstein's theory of general relativity is more accurate than Newton's law for describing strong gravitational fields, such as those found near black holes or during the early universe. Newton's law is still a good approximation for everyday situations, like objects falling on Earth.