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Is it possible to see the force of gravity between two objects, not including the Earth ?
Two (or more) adjacent objects attract each other due to the forces of gravity between them. So, are there any objects on the Earth that are massive enough to attract each other ? (Ignoring the Earth's attraction, I'm looking for an attraction between the objects only.) For example, if two supertankers approached each other at sea, and then stopped, would the force of gravity between them be sufficient to cause them to come together ? Or would two skyscrapers be massive enough to influence each other ?
I guess what I'm really asking is, what is the smallest object on Earth that can cause a measurable gravitational attraction on another object, ignoring the attraction from the Earth itself ?
11 Answers
- Anonymous1 decade ago
I've locked all my reference books away for a while (so I can't give you names etc)but I do know that The Universal Gravitational Constant (G)was measured usind a lead sphere and a (gold?)sphere using a torsion balance in a lab more than 50 years ago and fairly accurately;From memory neither sphere had a mass greater than100kg.
- Anonymous1 decade ago
the force of gravity between two objects on earth is so small when compared to the size of the force of gravity between both objects and earth that the force between the two objects is negligible. you will not notice it unless you have some instrument that can detect a gravitational field around an object.
- bikenbeer2000Lv 71 decade ago
Just out of interest, I calculated the gravitiational attraction between two supertankers, each of 200,000 tonnes and separated by 100 metres. The result came out as 267 newtons, which might be about the force exerted by me standing on the dockside, leaning on one of them. So, in practice, I don't think that would make much impression.
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- zebbedeeLv 41 decade ago
Yes it is and even very small objects can be used to measure the gravitaional atraction between them. Click on the link and scroll to torsion balance, which was used to make the first measurement of the gravitational constant.
- Anonymous1 decade ago
A scientist once Cavendish once designed and carried out an experiment in which movement caused by gravitational force between a couple of hand sized lead balls could be directly measured.
http://www.juliantrubin.com/bigten/cavendishg.html
He did this in order to determine the actual strength of the gravitic force.
Well actually some of the balls weighed 350 lbs, so maybe you'd need large hands. hm.
- Knownow'tLv 71 decade ago
Everything which has mass attracts other things, so you attract your cat sat across the room, supertankers attract each other, but because of the smallness of the mass of these items the effect is not noticeable.....but with something like the earth, its mass is so great that it attacts everything else.
- 5 years ago
It would cause the earth to 'fall' towards that object at the same speed everything on earth would do.
- 1 decade ago
u can measure the force of gravitation using extremely sophisticated instruments. its surely undetectable with the naked eye
- Anonymous1 decade ago
Not really. Gravity affects absolutely everything of mass - you, me, trees, chairs etc. But the effects are so minute, they are virtually undetectable. It's only when we start looking at the effects on huge objects of mass, like planets etc, that we can actually see it at work.
- 1 decade ago
attractions probably magnetic gravatate within intention...any!notice the words of attraction and send them on there way? this way?