https://www.khanacademy.org/science/ap-physics-c-mechanics/x077f5683c1428fac:force-and-translational-dynamics/x077f5683c1428fac:gravitational-force/v/gravitational-forces-and-fields 2025-10-06T15:00:50.153987624Z Gravitational forces and fields Newton’s law of universal gravitation describes the gravitational forces two objects exert on each other. The gravitational force is always attractive and is exerted along the line connecting the two objects’ centers of mass. The gravitational field created by an object at a point in space is the gravitational force exerted on another test object at that location, divided by the mass of the test object. If the gravitational force is the only force exerted on an object, the observed acceleration of the object (in m/s^2) is numerically equal to the magnitude of the gravitational field strength (in N/kg) at that location. Mahesh Shenoy video https://cdn.kastatic.org/ka_thumbnails_cache/3d2b9d1b-161f-45a9-a497-effe8b9f3593_1280_720_base.png Gravitational forces and fields Newton’s law of universal gravitation describes the gravitational forces two objects exert on each other. The gravitational force is always attractive and is exerted along the line connecting the two objects’ centers of mass. The gravitational field created by an object at a point in space is the gravitational force exerted on another test object at that location, divided by the mass of the test object. If the gravitational force is the only force exerted on an object, the observed acceleration of the object (in m/s^2) is numerically equal to the magnitude of the gravitational field strength (in N/kg) at that location. https://cdn.kastatic.org/ka-youtube-converted/CJV7RZNCN28.mp4/CJV7RZNCN28.mp4 735 Gravitational force https://www.khanacademy.org/science/ap-physics-c-mechanics/x077f5683c1428fac:force-and-translational-dynamics/x077f5683c1428fac:gravitational-force/a/gauss-law-for-gravity 2026-06-30T15:50:46.888918952Z Learn and try: Gauss's law for gravity Model gravitational fields using equations, 3D drawings, and graphs. Explore the vector concepts of dot product and flux. Apply these concepts to formulate Gauss's law for gravity. Use Gauss's law to predict the gravitational field inside different spherical distributions of mass. article https://www.khanacademy.org/science/ap-physics-c-mechanics/x077f5683c1428fac:force-and-translational-dynamics/x077f5683c1428fac:gravitational-force/v/weight-apparent-weight-and-weightlessness 2025-10-06T15:00:50.153987624Z Weight, apparent weight, and weightlessness The gravitational force exerted by an astronomical body on a relatively small nearby object is called weight. The magnitude of the apparent weight of an object is the magnitude of the normal force exerted on the object. If the system is accelerating vertically, the apparent weight of the object is not equal to the magnitude of the gravitational force exerted on the object. A system appears weightless when there are no forces exerted on the system, or when the force of gravity is the only force exerted on the system. Mahesh Shenoy video https://cdn.kastatic.org/ka_thumbnails_cache/9a25deb7-ba6c-4d1a-acce-0653b0038687_1280_720_base.png Weight, apparent weight, and weightlessness The gravitational force exerted by an astronomical body on a relatively small nearby object is called weight. The magnitude of the apparent weight of an object is the magnitude of the normal force exerted on the object. If the system is accelerating vertically, the apparent weight of the object is not equal to the magnitude of the gravitational force exerted on the object. A system appears weightless when there are no forces exerted on the system, or when the force of gravity is the only force exerted on the system. https://cdn.kastatic.org/ka-youtube-converted/tVsYgAM8MV4.mp4/tVsYgAM8MV4.mp4 750 Gravitational force https://www.khanacademy.org/science/ap-physics-c-mechanics/x077f5683c1428fac:force-and-translational-dynamics/x077f5683c1428fac:gravitational-force/e/gravitational-forces 2026-06-19T17:56:42.733541135Z Gravitational force Check your understanding of gravitational forces and how to calculate them using the universal law of gravitation in this set of free practice questions. exercise https://www.khanacademy.org/science/ap-physics-c-mechanics/x077f5683c1428fac:force-and-translational-dynamics/x077f5683c1428fac:gravitational-force/e/the-gravitational-field 2026-06-19T17:56:42.733541135Z Gravitational fields Check your understanding of the gravitational field in this set of free practice questions. exercise https://www.khanacademy.org/science/ap-physics-c-mechanics/x077f5683c1428fac:force-and-translational-dynamics/x077f5683c1428fac:gravitational-force/v/inertial-mass-vs-gravitational-mass 2024-11-06T15:51:57.252510189Z Inertial and gravitational mass The inertial and gravitational mass of an object have the same value, but they describe two different things about an object. Learn how to distinguish between inertial and gravitational mass and measure each independently of each other. David SantoPietro video https://cdn.kastatic.org/ka_thumbnails_cache/6fd7357a-14b7-49f2-9d32-80ae149ddee0_1280_720_base.png Inertial and gravitational mass The inertial and gravitational mass of an object have the same value, but they describe two different things about an object. Learn how to distinguish between inertial and gravitational mass and measure each independently of each other. https://cdn.kastatic.org/ka-youtube-converted/Ws3yB3QsKY4.mp4/Ws3yB3QsKY4.mp4 492 Gravitational force https://www.khanacademy.org/science/ap-physics-c-mechanics/x077f5683c1428fac:force-and-translational-dynamics/x077f5683c1428fac:gravitational-force/e/newton-s-first-law 2025-11-17T20:10:48.107689924Z Inertial and gravitational mass Check your understanding of inertial and gravitational mass in this set of free practice questions. exercise