Mutual Gravitational Attraction

Vocabulary

Force: Any push or pull (Newtons)“Big G”: [G] The universal constant for gravitational attraction (6.67 x 10¯¹¹)

Mass: How much matter is in an object (kg)

Distance: How far two objects are away from each other

What is Mutual Gravitational Attraction?

The idea behind mutual gravitational attraction is that all objects in the universe feel an

attractive force to every other object.In other words, every object in the universe is

attracted to every other object

Important Questions

Who thought of the idea of M.G.A.?How does this effect us?

Who uses this information?How do we calculate the force of attraction?

History of M.G.A.

Mutual Gravitational Attraction was first thought of by Sir Isaac Newton when he created his 3

laws of motion.

How Does M.G.A. Effect Us?

M.G.A. Is what explains why we have gravity!The value of gravity for any planet is embedded in the formula for mutual

gravitational attraction.

Who Uses This Information?

NASA uses the formula regularlyWhen rockets take off into space, scientists

must calculate the force that the Earth is pulling on the rocket

They also use the formula to “slingshot” around planetary bodies, like in the movie Apollo 13

The Universal Law of Gravitational Attraction as Applied to Human "Relations"

How Do We Calculate This Force of Attraction?

The equation for this force is as follows:F = Gm₁m₂

d²Where:

F = forceG = 6.67 x 10¯¹¹

m₁ = mass of object 1m₂ = mass of object 2

d = distance between the 2 objects

Why Are We Subject To This Force?

Every object in the universe creates an imaginary “indent” in the fabric of space.

The “depth” of this “indent” relies on the mass of the object. Massive objects (planets) leave

larger “indents” and less massive objects (people) leave smaller “indents”

Think of the fabric of space as a large sheet, and a planet as a bowling ball resting in the

middle of the sheet.

What this means is that you, sitting in your desk right now, are attracted to every other person in this classroom, as well as every object in the school, and every blade of grass in the

town!(this force is extremely small)

Additional Videos

Elegant UniverseM.I.T. Gravity

Newtons Law of Gravity!

Pictures

Cover Slide: abyss.uoregon.edu Slide 5: ogpenn.wordpress.com Slide 10: ws5.com