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The gravitational constant G is a key quantity in Newton's law of universal gravitation. The gravitational constant is an empirical physical constant involved in the calculation of gravitational effects in Sir Isaac Newton 's law of universal gravitation and in Albert Einstein 's theory of general relativity .
To make this into an equal-sided formula or equation, there needed to be a multiplying factor or constant that would give the correct force of gravity no matter the value of the masses or distance between them (the gravitational constant). Newton would need an accurate measure of this constant to prove his inverse-square law.
The agreed-upon value for standard gravity is 9.80665 m/s 2 (32.1740 ft/s 2) by definition. [4] This quantity is denoted variously as g n, g e (though this sometimes means the normal gravity at the equator, 9.7803267715 m/s 2 (32.087686258 ft/s 2)), [5] g 0, or simply g (which is also used for the variable local value).
Assuming constant acceleration g due to Earth's gravity, Newton's law of universal gravitation simplifies to F = mg, where F is the force exerted on a mass m by the Earth's gravitational field of strength g. Assuming constant g is reasonable for objects falling to Earth over the relatively short vertical distances of our everyday experience ...
In physics, gravity (from Latin gravitas 'weight' [1]) is a fundamental interaction primarily observed as a mutual attraction between all things that have mass.Gravity is, by far, the weakest of the four fundamental interactions, approximately 10 38 times weaker than the strong interaction, 10 36 times weaker than the electromagnetic force, and 10 29 times weaker than the weak interaction.
A common misconception occurs between centre of mass and centre of gravity.They are defined in similar ways but are not exactly the same quantity. Centre of mass is the mathematical description of placing all the mass in the region considered to one position, centre of gravity is a real physical quantity, the point of a body where the gravitational force acts.
The strong equivalence principle can be tested by 1) finding orbital variations in massive bodies (Sun-Earth-Moon), 2) variations in the gravitational constant (G) depending on nearby sources of gravity or on motion, or 3) searching for a variation of Newton's gravitational constant over the life of the universe [14]: 47
Other units include the cgs gal (sometimes known as a galileo, in either case with symbol Gal), which equals 1 centimetre per second squared, and the g (g n), equal to 9.80665 m/s 2. The value of the g n is defined as approximately equal to the acceleration due to gravity at the Earth's surface, although the actual acceleration varies slightly ...