Why does gravity pulls objects downward rather than upward?

  • Thread starter Thread starter xtine
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Gravity
AI Thread Summary
Gravity pulls objects downward due to the Earth's mass, which creates a stronger gravitational force directed towards its center. This fundamental force of nature attracts objects with mass, resulting in the definition of "down" being tied to the direction of gravity. The greater the mass of an object, the stronger its gravitational pull, which is why we feel heavier near the Earth's surface. Researching Newton's law of universal gravitation and Einstein's theory of general relativity can provide deeper insights into this phenomenon. Understanding these principles will help clarify why gravity consistently pulls objects downward rather than upward.
xtine
Messages
1
Reaction score
0
why does gravity pulls objects downward rather than upward?

ei, can you help me pls... why is that s0? i need to answer that in our physics class... and make a review of related literature about it.. can you answer that questi0n? what are the possible answers and links that can help me to answer this question..? i really need your replies BADLY.. :smile: thanks! :smile:
 
Physics news on Phys.org
I am tempted to answer "because that is the way DOWN and UP are defined"!

If you stop and think about it, the only definition we have for "down" IS the direction gravity pulls things!

You probably want, however, the fact that gravity always attracts and so the Earth's gravity pulls thing toward it- down.
 

I will try my best to help you with your question. Gravity is a fundamental force of nature that attracts objects with mass towards each other. This force is always directed towards the center of the object, which is why objects are pulled downward towards the Earth's center. This is due to the Earth's mass and its gravitational pull. The bigger an object's mass, the stronger its gravitational pull will be. This is also why we feel heavier when we are closer to the Earth's surface.

As for why gravity pulls objects downward rather than upward, it is because of the Earth's mass and its gravitational pull. The Earth's mass is much greater than any other object on its surface, so the force of gravity is stronger towards the center of the Earth. This is why objects are pulled towards the Earth's center, rather than being pulled upwards towards the sky.

To better understand this concept, you can do some research on Sir Isaac Newton's law of universal gravitation, which explains the relationship between mass and gravity. You can also look into Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity, which provides a more in-depth understanding of gravity and how it works.

I hope this helps and provides some information for you to further explore this topic. Good luck with your physics class!
 
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