Surely many people already know that gravity is the attractive force between two objects that have mass. The planets including the earth can orbit the sun and cannot be separated from their paths as a result of gravity. Apples falling down towards the center of the earth are also the result of gravity.
So is gravity really like that? Why gravity can attract objects around it and what actually causes gravity to exist? So, if you’re curious, let’s follow some interesting facts about gravity.
1. Gravity was discovered by accident by Newton
Who doesn’t know this great physicist, Sir Isaac Newton? He was the discoverer of the laws of motion in classical mechanics and also the law of universal gravitation. Apart from being a physicist he was also a mathematician, astronomer, chemist, as well as one of the most influential scientists in history.
The concept of gravity was discovered by accident when he was sitting under an apple tree. At that time the apple fell on his head and made him think what caused the fruit to fall to the ground. Why things on earth don’t float into space, to why the moon doesn’t fall to earth. Perhaps there is a force that governs this, giving rise to a term called “gravity”.
2. How did gravity come about
According to Newton, gravity can arise due to the interaction of objects that have mass. The greater the mass of an object, the higher the attractive force. As we are on earth compared to the mass of the earth, our mass is so small that humans are not thrown into the sky. Watch Cosmoknowledge Explain Where Does Gravity Come From?
Why can this attraction appear? According to Newton, it arises due to the existing gravitational field. The closer the distance between objects with mass, the greater the gravitational field, and conversely, the farther away, the smaller the gravitational field, so that no force appears.
3. The emergence of a new view of gravity by Einstein
There are different opinions about modern physical theory regarding the general theory of relativity proposed by Albert Einstein. According to him gravity is not a force but the result of the curvature of space and time by the uneven distribution of mass. This general theory of relativity emerged in 1915 after the introduction of the special theory of relativity in 1905.
One of the most phenomenal examples of gravity according to Einstein is the existence of black holes. Where nothing, not even light, can escape when it passes through a black hole. But for most events, Newton’s use of the law of universal gravitation can be explained more simply.
4. Is gravity composed of a particle?
Light can consist of certain particles called photons. But whether gravity is also composed of certain particles that are responsible for causing the effect of gravity. According to Wikipedia in the theory of quantum gravity gravitational particles are called gravitons.
Graviton is a quantum of gravity that is still a hypothesis. If gravitons exist, it is assumed that these particles do not have the same mass as photons. Many scientists are currently competing to prove the existence of gravitons.
5. Included in the 4 fundamental forces that sustain the universe
The fundamental force is the basic interaction in the universe. This force consists of the strong nuclear force, the weak nuclear force, the electromagnetic force, and the gravitational force. Gravity is the weakest of these forces.
The most powerful interaction is the strong nuclear force which is responsible for binding every particle that makes up matter as in the nucleus of an atom. What is responsible for the decay of each particle is the weak nuclear force. The electromagnetic force acts on charged particles. Know Fundamental Forces of nature – Origin & Function With Arvin Ash