Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • Newton's law of universal gravitation: A fundamental physical law stating that 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 centers.

Usage

• Newton's law of gravitation is used to describe and calculate the gravitational force between two objects. It is a cornerstone of classical mechanics.
  • Astronomers use Newton's law of gravitation to predict the orbits of planets.
  • The apple falling from the tree inspired the formulation of Newton's law of gravitation.

Advanced Usage

• "To apply Newton's law of gravitation": To use the mathematical formula of the law to solve a problem.
  • To find the force between Earth and the Moon, one must apply Newton's law of gravitation.
• "Derived from Newton's law of gravitation": A concept or formula that is a logical consequence of the law.
  • The formula for calculating orbital velocity is derived from Newton's law of gravitation.

Variants and Related Words

• Law of universal gravitation: The full, formal name of the law.
• Universal gravitation: The general concept that all masses attract each other.
• Inverse-square law: A term describing how the force decreases with the square of the distance, a key feature of this law.
• Gravitational constant (G): The proportionality constant in the mathematical formula of Newton's law.

Synonyms

• Law of universal gravitation (exact synonym)
• Universal law of gravitation (exact synonym)

Related Phrases

• Newtonian gravity: The system of gravitation described by Newton's law, as opposed to Einstein's theory of general relativity.
  • For most engineering purposes, Newtonian gravity is sufficiently accurate.

Noun

1. (physics) the law that states any two bodies attract each other with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them