How Does Gravity Influence Us Without Physical Contact?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Tony1_1
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Gravity
AI Thread Summary
Gravity influences us through gravitational fields, which operate without direct contact, unlike contact forces. This phenomenon can be compared to electrostatics, where electric fields exert forces without physical interaction. Understanding gravitational fields is key to grasping how gravity affects objects based on their mass and distance. The strength of gravitational force and acceleration is determined by these factors. Overall, gravity's non-contact nature is a fundamental aspect of how it operates in the universe.
Tony1_1
Messages
2
Reaction score
0
My professor gave us a question about gravity but I just have no idea how to explain it. I hope somebody will help me out as soon as possible, thanks a lot.

Question: How does gravity affect us without even touching us unlike other forces?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Hint: Consider the analogy of an electrostatics and how electrostatics makes use of electric fields.
 
well, I still kinda don't get the correct idea, can somebody help me out?
 
The simple answer is that's just the way it is; that is, gravity doesn't have to touch us to affect us as contact forces do. If you want have a more intuitive understanding, and if you have not seen the analogy to electrostatics yet, look up gravitational field. Consider, what is a field? What does the strength of the force of gravity depend on? What does the strength of the acceleration of gravity depend on?
 
Thread 'Variable mass system : water sprayed into a moving container'
Starting with the mass considerations #m(t)# is mass of water #M_{c}# mass of container and #M(t)# mass of total system $$M(t) = M_{C} + m(t)$$ $$\Rightarrow \frac{dM(t)}{dt} = \frac{dm(t)}{dt}$$ $$P_i = Mv + u \, dm$$ $$P_f = (M + dm)(v + dv)$$ $$\Delta P = M \, dv + (v - u) \, dm$$ $$F = \frac{dP}{dt} = M \frac{dv}{dt} + (v - u) \frac{dm}{dt}$$ $$F = u \frac{dm}{dt} = \rho A u^2$$ from conservation of momentum , the cannon recoils with the same force which it applies. $$\quad \frac{dm}{dt}...
TL;DR Summary: I came across this question from a Sri Lankan A-level textbook. Question - An ice cube with a length of 10 cm is immersed in water at 0 °C. An observer observes the ice cube from the water, and it seems to be 7.75 cm long. If the refractive index of water is 4/3, find the height of the ice cube immersed in the water. I could not understand how the apparent height of the ice cube in the water depends on the height of the ice cube immersed in the water. Does anyone have an...
Back
Top