According to the theory of gravitation, the earth must be continually “falling” toward
According to the theory of gravitation, the earth must be continually "falling" toward the Sun due to the gravitational force between them. This prompts the question of how to calculate this gravitational force.
To calculate the gravitational force between two objects, such as the Earth and the Sun, you can use the formula:
F = G * (m1 * m2) / r^2
Where:
F is the gravitational force
G is the gravitational constant (approximately 6.67430 × 10^-11 N(m/kg)^2)
m1 and m2 are the masses of the two objects (in this case, the Earth and the Sun)
r is the distance between the centers of the two objects
Since we know the mass of the Earth (approximately 5.972 × 10^24 kg) and the mass of the Sun (approximately 1.989 × 10^30 kg), we can substitute those values and calculate the gravitational force.
The distance between the Earth and the Sun varies due to their elliptical orbit, but on average, it is about 149.6 million kilometers (or 93 million miles). You would need to convert this distance to meters to use the formula.
Once you have calculated the gravitational force, you will find that it is indeed a significant force, which acts towards the Sun. This force keeps the Earth in its orbit around the Sun while also causing all objects on Earth's surface to be pulled downward, giving the sensation of gravity.