Understanding gravitational attraction

Click For Summary
SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the concept of gravitational attraction as described in a physics book. It emphasizes that all bodies, including an apple and the Earth, experience mutual gravitational attraction, with forces acting from their centers of mass. The vectors representing these forces illustrate that the Earth attracts the apple while the apple simultaneously attracts the Earth, confirming Newton's law of universal gravitation. The forces are depicted as originating from the centers of mass due to the non-contact nature of gravitational interactions.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Newton's law of universal gravitation
  • Familiarity with vector representation in physics
  • Basic knowledge of center of mass concepts
  • Concept of non-contact forces in physics
NEXT STEPS
  • Study Newton's law of universal gravitation in detail
  • Learn about vector forces and their applications in physics
  • Explore the concept of center of mass and its significance in gravitational interactions
  • Investigate non-contact forces and their implications in various physical scenarios
USEFUL FOR

Students of physics, educators teaching gravitational concepts, and anyone interested in understanding the fundamental principles of gravitational attraction.

Miike012
Messages
1,009
Reaction score
0
The book says..bodies experience mutual gravitational
attraction with each particle of the earth...

In the picture... the vector from the apple pointing to the center of the earth.. is that the attractive force of by the Earth attracting the apple?

and what about the vector pointing from the Earth in the upward direction... is that the attractive force created by the apple attracting the earth?
 

Attachments

  • Untitled.jpg
    Untitled.jpg
    3.9 KB · Views: 480
Physics news on Phys.org
Miike012 said:
The book says..bodies experience mutual gravitational
attraction with each particle of the earth...

In the picture... the vector from the apple pointing to the center of the earth.. is that the attractive force of by the Earth attracting the apple?

and what about the vector pointing from the Earth in the upward direction... is that the attractive force created by the apple attracting the earth?

Yes. And the force are each drawn from the centre of mass, since they are not contact forces, so there is not point of contact to draw the forces from/at.
 

Similar threads

Why do particles in a falling coach get closer together?
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
1K
Calculating Tidal Range (Gravitation)
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
3K
Gravitational Acceleration Question
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
Introductory Physics - Finding "little g"
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
3K
How Does Lenz's Law Explain the Jumping Ring Phenomenon?
  • · Replies 8 ·
Replies
8
Views
2K
What are the reaction forces to the external forces on the wagon in (b)?
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
How to get gravitational force on a gaseous particle?
  • · Replies 28 ·
Replies
28
Views
2K
Undergrad Does gravity bend gravitational waves?
  • · Replies 14 ·
Replies
14
Views
2K
High School Can Earth or any spherical object in space act as a particle collider?
  • · Replies 6 ·
Replies
6
Views
2K
Curving of gravitational field lines
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
2K