NEWTONIAN GRAVITATIONAL FIELD Meaning and
Definition
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A Newtonian gravitational field refers to the force field generated by a massive body, as described by Newton's law of universal gravitation. According to Newton's theory, any two objects in the universe attract each other with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers. This force, known as gravity, creates a gravitational field around each object that extends indefinitely into space.
In the context of the Newtonian gravitational field, the term "field" refers to the region of influence where the force of gravity can be felt. It encompasses all points in space where the gravitational force exerted by a massive body can affect other objects or particles. The field's strength depends on the mass of the generating body, with larger masses producing stronger gravitational fields.
The field is characterized by its direction and magnitude at every point in space. The direction of the gravitational field is always inward, towards the source of the field. The strength or magnitude of the field decreases with increasing distance from the source, following an inverse-square law.
Newtonian gravitational fields play a fundamental role in understanding and predicting the motion of celestial bodies, such as planets, moons, and other astronomical objects. They are widely used in physics and astronomy to explain phenomena related to gravity, including orbits, tides, and the interactions between celestial bodies within the realm of classical mechanics.
