Gravitational constant
The gravitational constant (G) is an experimentally calculated value that is involved in determining the gravitational force between two objects.[1] Its primary use is outlined in the following equation:
is the gravitational force, measured in newtons
is the gravitational constant
and
are the masses of both objects, measured in kilograms
is the distance between the objects, measured in meters
The gravitational constant is therefore a proportionality constant between the gravitational force and the result of the product of the masses of two objects divided by the square of the distance between them. This is an example of an inverse square law.
For more about how the gravitational constant was found please see Physics Central.
References
- ↑ E. Mazur, "Gravity," in Principles and Practice of Physics Volume 1. Pearson, ch. 13, pp. 325