Gravity

How it is used

'Gravity' is common in speech and introductory texts; formal writing often prefers 'gravitation' or 'the gravitational force'. Useful phrases: under gravity, centre of gravity, acceleration due to gravity, gravitational field. Newton's law of gravitation is F = Gm₁m₂/r².

Example sentences

1. Ignoring air resistance, the stone falls under gravity alone.

2. The Moon's gravity is about one sixth as strong as the Earth's.

Common collocations

• under gravity
• centre of gravity
• acceleration due to gravity
• gravitational force
• law of gravitation

Related terms

• weightThe force with which gravity pulls on an object. It equals mass times the gravitational field strength (W = mg), is measured in newtons and changes from planet to planet.
• massThe amount of matter in an object, which also measures how hard it is to change the object's motion. It is measured in kilograms (kg) and does not depend on location.
• forceA push or a pull that can change how an object moves or change its shape. It has both size and direction and is measured in newtons (N).
• accelerationThe rate at which an object's velocity changes over time. It can mean speeding up, slowing down or changing direction, and it is measured in metres per second squared (m/s²).
• projectile motionThe motion of an object that is thrown or launched and then moves only under gravity, following a curved path. Its horizontal and vertical motions are treated separately.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

• gravity · Astronomy & Space

More terms: Motion and Forces

• velocity
• Newton's laws of motion
• friction
• speed
• displacement
• net force
• equilibrium
• inertia
• torque
• centripetal force
• tension
• normal force