How Gravity Works

How Gravity Works: A Simple Explanation

Gravity is a fundamental force of nature that pulls objects toward each other. It's what keeps your feet on the ground, what holds the atmosphere around Earth, and what keeps the planets in orbit around the Sun.

1. What Is Gravity?

Gravity is the force of attraction between any two objects that have mass. The more mass an object has, the stronger its gravitational pull.

• Earth pulls objects toward its center. That’s why when you drop something, it falls down.

• You also have gravity. Every object with mass — including you — exerts a gravitational pull, but Earth’s is much stronger.

2. Newton’s View: Gravity as a Force

Isaac Newton described gravity as a force that acts between two objects:

• The farther apart they are, the weaker the force.

• The more massive they are, the stronger the force.

This is why Earth pulls harder on a falling apple than a small rock does.

3. Einstein’s View: Gravity as Curved Space

Albert Einstein offered a deeper explanation in his theory of general relativity:

• Mass bends space and time around it — kind of like placing a bowling ball on a trampoline.

• Objects move along the curves in space created by that mass.

So instead of thinking of gravity as a "pull," Einstein described it as objects following paths in curved space-time.

4. Real-World Examples

• The Moon orbits Earth because Earth’s gravity bends space in a way that keeps the Moon moving in a circular path.

• Tides are caused by the gravitational pull of the Moon on Earth’s oceans.

• Satellites stay in orbit because gravity balances their forward motion and pulls them toward Earth.

In Short:

Gravity is the invisible glue of the universe. Whether you drop a pen or look up at the stars, gravity is the force making it all work.