Tag Archives: gravity

Gravity in Solar System

Acceleration due to gravity (g) is different for different planets due to their diverse masses and radii. Physicists usually figure out the by the formula g = GM/r**2, where G is the Universal Constant of Gravitation (6.67 * 10**(-11)), M is the mass of the planet, and r is the radius of the planet. By […] Continue reading

Posted in Class, Physics | Tagged , | Comments Off on Gravity in Solar System

The Oort Cloud

The Oort Cloud is a collection of comets that orbit the Sun far outside our solar system. One estimation of the number of comets in the Oort Cloud is one TRILLION. Unlike the Kuiper Belt, which lies outside the orbit of Neptune, the Oort Cloud neither lies on the same plane as the bodies orbitingContinue reading “The Oort Cloud” Continue reading

Posted in Class, Universe | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on The Oort Cloud

Weight and Altitude

Most people know that if you were to take your weight on the earth and then the moon, you would weigh a lot less on the moon. But what about your weight with different altitudes on the earth? Surprisingly your weight also changes with varying altitudes. If you were to take your weight at seaContinue reading “Weight and Altitude” Continue reading

Posted in Universe | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Weight and Altitude

Gravity of a Mysterious Object

Credit: Caltech/R.Hurt (IPAC) We know that there are 8 planets in the Solar System. This is a fact. You would be crazy to think that there is a 9th planet out there orbiting beyond Pluto. After all, if there was a 9th planet, why haven’t we seen it yet? Well, meet Konstantin Batygin, a professorContinue reading “Gravity of a Mysterious Object” Continue reading

Posted in Small SS Objects | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Gravity of a Mysterious Object

Tides

In 1687 Sir Issac Newton discovered that the tides of the ocean on Earth are primarily caused by the gravitational pull of the Sun and the Moon. This idea was supported by his universal law of gravity that asserts that any piece of matter in the universe will attract any other with a force varying directly asContinue reading “Tides” Continue reading

Posted in Class, Physics | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Tides

The Gravity of Neutron Stars

Apart from black holes, neutron stars are the densest objects in the universe – excluding some other weird stuff. These unique and very dense things can form after a star goes supernova and collapses. If the star is massive enough, the collapse will force protons and electrons to smash into each other to form neutrons.Continue reading “The Gravity of Neutron Stars” Continue reading

Posted in Class, Stars | Tagged , , | Comments Off on The Gravity of Neutron Stars

Gravitational Waves

Gravitational waves are a fascinating concept. The thought starts from the idea that gravity moves at the speed of light. Now, at the start this sounds like a silly idea. Doesn’t the force of gravity always act on people? Yet take this example. Say the sun were to simply disappear. Not explode or change, butContinue reading “Gravitational Waves” Continue reading

Posted in Class, Galaxies, Sun | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Gravitational Waves

Gravity’s Effect on Light

Light appears almost instantaneous to the naked eye. This seems especially evident on the Fourth of July, watching a firework explode, only for the boom to hit you seconds after the colorful light hits your eyes. It does not seem like something so fast and instant could be affected by a force such as gravity.Continue reading “Gravity’s Effect on Light” Continue reading

Posted in Light | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on Gravity’s Effect on Light

Gravity Waves

Gravity waves have been speculated to exist ever since Einstein set a speed limit to the universe, the speed of light. When Newton came up with the gravitational force equation, it only considered mass and distance when calculating the force. It did not take into account that if one mass disappeared, then that information ofContinue reading “Gravity Waves” Continue reading

Posted in Class, Light, Universe | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Gravity Waves

The Historical Advancement of Astronomy

After completing the homework assignment on historical astronomers, I found myself diving into the internet to find out more on the astronomers we researched. This trip down the wormhole of the internet led me to an article about Isaac Newton, titled: “What if there was no Apple tree?” This article ponders what would have happenedContinue reading “The Historical Advancement of Astronomy” Continue reading

Posted in Class, SolarSystem | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on The Historical Advancement of Astronomy