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Terrestrial gravity. Force and law of gravitation

The online gravity simulations on this page will help you understand what gravity is and in particular, terrestrial gravity, how the force of gravity acts on any object. We will also discover what the law of universal gravitation is and why it is so important.

What is terrestrial gravity

Terrestrial gravity is the force of attraction that the Earth exerts on all objects that have mass, keeping them stuck to its surface. As a force, it is also known as the force of gravitation or the force of gravity. It is responsible for the fact that, when an object is dropped, it inevitably falls to the ground, as well as the seas, the atmosphere and even our own bodies remain attached to the planet. It is a very weak force compared to other fundamental forces, such as the electromagnetic force, but its range is infinite.

Law of universal gravitation

According to Newton’s law of universal gravitation, the gravitational force between two objects is directly proportional to the mass of each object and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. That is, the greater the mass of an object, the greater the gravitational force it exerts, and the greater the distance between two objects, the smaller the gravitational force acting between them.

Importance of gravity

The force of gravitation is responsible for keeping the planets in orbit around the sun and for keeping us glued to the surface of the Earth. Without gravity, the planets would move in straight lines instead of following elliptical orbits, and we would float in space instead of being attached to the surface of the Earth.

Understanding gravity is essential to our understanding of the large-scale universe. Gravity is crucial in the formation of galaxies and the structure of the universe as a whole. Understanding how gravity works helps us explain phenomena such as the formation of black holes, the interaction of stars and galaxies, and the expansion of the universe.

These online gravity simulations show us what gravity is and how it acts Come on!

Gravity simulations

Gravitational Force Lab I


Visualize the gravitational force that two objects exert on each other. Discover the factors that affect gravitational attraction and determine how adjusting these factors will change the gravitational force.


Licencia de Creative Commons

Gravitational Force Lab II


Visualize the force of gravity that two objects exert on each other. Change the properties of the objects in order to see how changing the properties affects the gravitational attraction.


Licencia de Creative Commons

Planet lab


In the last of these online gravity simulations, we see how different factors affect the force of gravity on a person.

Newton’s Law of Gravitation


The Law of Gravitation states that the force of gravity is proportional to the product of the masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distances.

Gravitational Force Lab I


Visualize the gravitational force that two objects exert on each other. Discover the factors that affect gravitational attraction and determine how adjusting these factors will change the gravitational force.

File

Click here to start the simulation
Licencia de Creative Commons

Gravitational Force Lab II


Visualize the force of gravity that two objects exert on each other. Change the properties of the objects in order to see how changing the properties affects the gravitational attraction.

File

Click here to start the simulation
Licencia de Creative Commons

Planet lab


In the last of these online gravity simulations, we see how different factors affect the force of gravity on a person.

STEM education equipment

Earth Sciences courses

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