Like air, gravity is one of the many natural phenomena we cannot perceive with our naked eyes. However, we do know for a fact that it exists all around us. In fact, gravity is one of the Earth’s most potent forces – present in every matter that occupies space and has mass. It drags everything – including humans – towards the centre of the Earth, which explains why we do not float in the air as astronauts do in space.
However, gravity does more than just anchor us to Earth, ensuring we do not float off to the vast unknowns of outer space. Let us share the various ways this phenomenon affects the world we live in and how it benefits us in more ways than one.
1. Gravity stabilises everything.
We have been taught the concept of gravity from a young age. In fact, this phenomenon is often one of the first scientific concepts we learn as a student. Through understanding gravity, we realised that this force is the only reason people, animals, and objects, are not levitating mid-air. It is because gravity is a constant force pulling us down towards the surface of the Earth. So unless a cup of coffee is moved by an external force, such as you lifting the cup to take a sip, it will not hover in the air.
2. Gravity creates tides in the oceans.
Without gravity, the natural phenomenon of ocean tides will not exist. Due to the Earth’s rotation and the natural gravitational pull of the moon and the sun, ocean tides begin to form on our planet. However, tidal forces are heavily dependent on distance than mass, which is why the smaller moon exerts a stronger tidal force compared to the sun since it is closer to Earth.
3. Gravity keeps the Earth, moon and other planets in orbit.
We may not actually feel the Earth moving as it revolves around the sun, but it is because of gravity that Earth and other planets are aligned in the way that they are, and why all of them revolve around the sun. In the absence of gravity, Earth will no longer rotate around the sun, resulting in one side of the Earth being consistently hot while the other side is freezing. Additionally, gravity causes the moon to revolve around the Earth, thereby holding the celestial body in place.
4. Gravity causes objects to fall
Science students are likely familiar with the story of how Isaac Newton discovered gravity. Be it an apple falling from a tree, throwing garbage into the trash bin, pouring a drink into a glass, or the falling of the rain and snow, gravity is the architect behind all these phenomena that we see or engage in on a daily basis
Conclusion
Gravity is fundamental to the way the universe functions. Without this natural phenomenon, our planet and everything it holds will float mindlessly around in space, and life, as we know it to be, would not have existed. However, gravity is just one aspect of our universe. There is so much to learn about the Earth and our cosmos, and physics help us shed more light on these subject matters.
If you would like to learn more about physics and our universe works but often struggle with the subject, you might want to consider signing up for physics tuition classes. At Best Physics TuitionTM Centre, we offer both O Level and JC physics tuition to help struggling students get to grips with the subject. With the help of our qualified tutor, you will find your physics knowledge improving vastly over time.
