Examples Of Gravitational Force In Physics & Daily Life
Examples Of Gravitational Force In Physics
Here are the top 10 Force of Gravity examples In Physics & everyday life.
- Apple falling from a tree
- Bungee Jumping
- Ability to Walk
- Ocean tides
- Sinking Objects (Heavy stone or metal)
- Diver Jumping off a board
- Planets Revolving around the sun
- Pouring a cup of coffee
- Hanging objects (Plant Pot)
- Measuring Weight on a weighing machine
Have you ever thought about how gravitational force impacts your daily life?
The force of gravity or Gravitational force is a fundamental force in physics that affects every object on Earth. We may not be aware of it, but gravity is the force that holds us and everything around us in place on Earth.
In this blog post, we’ll explore 10 real-life examples of gravitational force in daily life ranging from the simple act of walking to the formation of Ocean tides.
But before you read any further, it might be a good idea to briefly understand the force of gravity. It will help you to understand the examples better. If you are already familiar with the concept, you can skip it by clicking on the link below.
What is gravitation With example?
Gravitation or Gravitational force is the pull that objects with mass have on each other. This force is what makes things fall to the ground.
For example, when you drop a ball, gravity pulls it toward the Earth, making it fall. The bigger an object is, the stronger its gravitational force. That’s why the Earth’s gravity is much stronger than a ball’s gravity.
The distance between objects also affects the strength of the gravitational force. The closer objects are, the stronger the pull.
10 Force Of Gravity (Gravitational Force Examples) In Real Life In Physics
I am sure that the concept of gravitational force is clear to you now. If not, you can check the reference provided at the end. Let us move on to 10 examples of gravitational forces in daily life.
Examples
-
Apple falling from a tree
To begin with, when an apple hangs from a tree branch, it is pulled downwards by the force of gravity. Gravity is the natural force that attracts objects toward each other. In this case, the Earth’s gravity pulls the apple towards its center.As the apple becomes ripe or the branch can no longer support its weight, the force of gravity becomes stronger than the branch’s hold. The apple is then pulled downwards, detaching from the branch and falling towards the ground.
-
Bungee Jumping
Bungee jumping is an activity where a person jumps from a tall structure, such as a bridge or a platform, while connected to an elastic cord. As the person jumps, they initially experience an upward force due to the push they exerted on the platform or bridge. However, as they leave the platform, gravity begins to act on their body.
Gravity pulls the bungee jumper downward toward the Earth. The force of gravity accelerates the jumper’s descent, increasing their speed as they fall. -
Ability to Walk
Walking itself is not an example of gravitational force, but the ability to walk and maintain balance is influenced by the force of gravity. Gravity keeps us grounded and provides the necessary friction between our feet and the ground, allowing us to push off and move forward while walking.
It helps maintain stability and prevents us from floating or falling uncontrollably. So, while walking is not directly an example of gravitational force, it relies on gravity to facilitate the mechanics of walking. -
Ocean tides
Ocean tides occur due to the Moon’s gravitational pull on Earth’s water. The Moon’s gravity creates a bulge of water on the side facing it, causing a high tide. As the Earth rotates, different regions experience these bulges, resulting in two high tides and two low tides daily. The Sun also influences tides to a lesser extent.
When the Sun, Moon, and Earth align, the combined gravitational pull intensifies tides, leading to spring tides (higher tides) or neap tides (lower tides). -
Sinking Objects (Heavy stone or metal)
Sinking objects in water is an example of gravitational force because gravity pulls objects toward the center of the Earth. When an object is denser than the water it is placed in, the force of gravity is greater than the buoyant force exerted by the water. As a result, the object sinks.
Moreover, this can be observed when you drop a heavy stone or a metal object into a pool, bathtub, or any body of water. The gravitational force acting on the object overcomes the upward buoyant force, causing it to sink to the bottom. -
Diver Jumping off a board
A diver jumping off a diving board is indeed an example of gravitational force in action. When the diver jumps, they are initially pushed upwards by the force exerted by their legs. However, as soon as they leave the diving board, gravity takes over.Gravity pulls the diver downwards towards the Earth. The force of gravity accelerates the diver towards the water, increasing their speed as they descend.
-
Planets Revolving around the sun
Planets revolve around the Sun because of the force of gravity. The Sun is very big and has a lot of mass, which means it pulls things towards it. The planets are also moving really fast, so they want to keep going straight.
But the Sun’s gravity pulls on them, making them go around in circles instead. It’s like when you swing a toy on a string, except the Sun’s gravity is the string and the planets are the toy. This keeps the planets in their orbits and makes them go around the Sun. -
Pouring a cup of coffee
Pouring a cup of coffee is not directly related to gravitational force, but gravity does play a role in the process.When you pour a cup of coffee, gravity pulls the liquid downward toward the bottom of the cup. This is because gravity always pulls things toward the Earth’s center. As you tilt the cup, gravity causes the coffee to flow from a higher position to a lower position due to the force of gravity acting on it.
-
Hanging objects (Plant Pot)
When you hang a plant in a pot, it experiences the force of gravity. Gravity is what pulls everything down toward the ground. The plant and its pot are heavy because of their mass, and gravity pulls them downward.
But the string or hook holding the pot provides an upward force that balances gravity. That’s why the plant stays hanging instead of falling to the ground. Gravity pulls the plant down, but the string holds it up, keeping it in place. -
Measuring Weight on a weighing machine
When you step on a weighing machine, it tells you how much you weigh.
But have you ever thought about how it does that?
The answer lies in the force of gravity. Gravity is the force that pulls everything toward the ground. A weighing machine has a mechanism inside, like a spring, that gets squeezed when you stand on it. This squeezing is caused by the force of gravity acting on your body.
The weighing machine measures how much the spring gets squeezed and gives you a number, which is your weight. So, when you use a weighing machine, it’s actually measuring the gravitational force pulling you down, and telling you how heavy you are.
In conclusion, gravitational forces play a fundamental role in the interactions between objects in the universe.
This force is responsible for numerous phenomena, such as the falling of objects on Earth, and the orbits of planets around the Sun.
References
-
Geeks For Geeks
URL: Gravitational ForcesThis article cover topics such as Newton’s law of universal gravitation, the formula to calculate gravitational force, and the factors that influence its strength.
-
Physics Classroom:
URL: Acceleration Due to Gravity
The provided link leads to a webpage from “The Physics Classroom” discussing the concept of the acceleration of gravity.
You have finished the complete article related to 10 examples of gravitational force in physics & in daily life. If you have any doubts or queries, feel free to comment below. We will respond as soon as possible.
Or Email Us At [email protected]
Recommended Articles