Gravity, which derives from the Latin gravitas, meaning "weight"[1], is a basic interaction in physics that leads to mutual attraction between all objects with mass. Compared to the strong interaction, electromagnetic force, and weak interaction, gravity is by far the weakest of the four fundamental interactions, with a relative difference of about 1038, 1036, and 1029. Consequently, it has no appreciable effect at the subatomic particle level.[2] But at the macroscopic level, gravity is the most important interaction between objects; it governs the travel of light as well as planets, stars, and galaxies.
Sublunar tides in the oceans are caused by the Moon's gravity, which also lends weight to physical objects on Earth. The inertia of the Earth and Moon orbiting each other generates the corresponding antipodal tide. In addition to its many biological applications, gravity also affects the movement of fluids in multicellular creatures and helps direct the growth of plants through the process of gravitropism.
Many of the large-scale structures in the cosmos are the result of gravity; the original gaseous stuff in the universe gravitationally attracted one another to create stars, which in turn condensed into galaxies. Despite its unlimited reach, the force of gravity diminishes with increasing object distance.
The general theory of relativity, first forth by Albert Einstein in 1915, provides the most accurate description of gravity. According to this theory, masses move along geodesic lines because of the unequal distribution of mass, which causes spacetime to curve. Gravity is not represented as a force. A black hole is the most severe example of this spacetime curvature, as nothing can escape from it once over the event horizon, not even light.[3] Newton's law of universal gravitation, which defines gravity as a force that causes any two bodies to be attracted toward each other and whose magnitude is proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of their distance from one another, is a good approximation of gravity for the majority of applications.
Present particle physics models suggest that the universe's first instance of gravity, which could be quantum gravity, supergravity, or a gravitational singularity, as well as regular space and time, evolved during the Planck epoch (up to 10^43 seconds after the universe's creation), potentially from a primordial state, which could be a false vacuum, quantum vacuum, or virtual particle, in an as-yet-unidentified way.[4] Researchers are actively striving to create a quantum gravity theory, which would allow gravity to be combined with the other three fundamental interactions of physics in a single mathematical framework (a theory of everything).
You must be logged in to post a comment.