Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Gravitational force is an attractive force between two objects with mass. It is responsible for holding planets in orbit around stars and objects on Earth's surface.
Related terms
Mass: Mass is a measure of how much matter an object contains.
Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation: This law states that every object in the universe attracts every other object with a force directly proportional to their masses and inversely proportional to the square of their distance apart.
Weightlessness: Weightlessness occurs when there is no apparent gravitational force acting on an object or person, such as during freefall or orbiting in space.