What is gravity?

Gravity is defined as a force that attracts two bodies towards each other based on their mass. This fundamental force plays a critical role in the universe, influencing the motion of planets, stars, galaxies, and even light. The more massive an object, the stronger its gravitational pull; this is why, for example, Earth, with its significant mass, exerts a strong gravitational force that keeps objects on its surface and governs the orbits of the Moon and artificial satellites around it.

The way gravity operates is described by Newton's law of universal gravitation, which establishes that every particle in the universe attracts every other particle with a force directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers. This scientific understanding of gravity is foundational in both physics and astronomy, providing clear evidence of its effect in numerous observations and experiments throughout history.