Gravity Explained! The Force Keeping Us On The Ground

 

We know gravity keeps us grounded (no pun intended). But they are also responsible for influencing different aspects of not just our planet but our entire universe. It is an invisible force that comes with a colossal impact.

Despite centuries of study, it remains to

be one of the actively researched area. The fundamentals of gravity

being foundational topics where students are introduced to the concept.

In this blog, we will be diving into how

gravity holds us to the ground and other impacts related to it.

What Is Gravity?

Gravity is a force of attraction that

exists between any two objects with mass. The greater the mass of an object,

the stronger its gravitational pull. Sir Isaac Newton, in 1687, formulated the

Law of Universal Gravitation, stating:

"Every particle of matter in the

universe attracts every other particle with a force that is directly

proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the

square of the distance between their centres."

Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation

rightly explains why objects fall to the ground when dropped and why celestial

bodies, like the Earth and Moon, orbit each other.

Gravity and the Ground Beneath Us

On Earth, gravity ensures we stay rooted

to the ground. Here’s how it works — 

·   Earth’s Mass: The Earth’s massive size generates a strong gravitational pull. This pull

acts on everything, from buildings to people, keeping us anchored.

·   Downward Force: The force of gravity pulls objects toward the Earth’s centre, which we

perceive as "down." This pull gives us our sense of direction and

balance.

·  Weight: What we call "weight" is the force of gravity acting on an object’s

mass. This is why weight changes on different planets but mass remains constant.

How Gravity Influences Our Lives?

As earlier stated, the effects of gravity are much more than just keeping us on the ground.

It impacts various aspects of our lives, such as — 

Walking and Movement: The

friction between our feet and the ground, aided by gravity, allows us to walk

without floating away.

Atmosphere:

Gravity holds Earth's atmosphere in place, providing the oxygen we need to

breathe.

Tides: The

gravitational interaction between Earth and the Moon causes ocean tides,

affecting marine ecosystems and coastal environments.

Engineering and Architecture:

Structures are designed to counteract gravity, ensuring stability and safety.

Gravity Beyond Earth

While gravity keeps us grounded on Earth,

it also governs the cosmos. Some of the instances are — 

Orbits:

Planets orbit the Sun due to the Sun’s gravitational pull. Similarly, the Moon

orbits Earth.

Black Holes: These

regions in space have such intense gravity that not even light can escape.

Weightlessness in Space:

Astronauts experience microgravity because they are in a constant state of free

fall around Earth.

Can Gravity Change?

Gravity depends on mass and distance,

meaning it varies across different locations and conditions.

On Earth:

Gravity is slightly weaker at higher altitudes, such as on mountaintops, due to

increased distance from Earth's centre.

In Space:

Gravity decreases with distance from massive objects. In the vacuum of space,

far from planetary bodies, the force of gravity becomes negligible.

But this doesn’t mean that your mass

changes with the force of gravity. Mass is unchangeable no matter where you

are, but it is your weight that changes based on the gravitational force of a location.

Sounds interesting, right? If you are

interested in learning more on this topic and master your lesson on the fundamentals of gravity, try joining an expert chemistry physics tuition.