Gravity

Gravity is a natural force that pulls objects toward each other. On earth, it pulls everything toward the planet’s center. This is why things fall when you drop them, and why you stay on the ground instead of floating into the air. Every object with mass, even you, has gravity—but Earth’s gravity is much stronger than yours, so it pulls you down.

The strength of gravity depends on two things: the mass of the objects and the distance between them. Heavier objects, like planets or stars, have stronger gravity. The closer you are to an object, the stronger its pull feels. For example, the sun’s gravity keeps the Earth moving in a curved path called an orbit. Without gravity, Earth would fly off into space instead of circling the Sun.

The force of gravity also gives everything its weight. weight is the measure of how much gravity pulls on an object’s mass. On the Moon, gravity is weaker than on Earth, so you would weigh less there. However, your mass—the amount of matter in you—would not change.

Sir isaac-newton was one of the first scientists to describe gravity in the 1600s. He realized that the same force that makes apples fall also keeps the Moon in orbit around Earth. Later, albert-einstein added that gravity is caused by the way massive objects bend space and time, like a heavy ball pressing down on a soft blanket.

Gravity affects everything in the universe—from how raindrops fall to how galaxies form. It holds the atmosphere around Earth, keeps the oceans in place, and helps shape the motion of planets and stars. Without gravity, life as we know it could not exist. Every time you drop a ball, jump, or simply stand still, you are feeling the quiet, steady pull of gravity at work.