gravitational
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /ɡrˌævɪtˈeɪʃənəl/
US
- /ˌɡrævɪˈteɪʃənəl/
Description
- Related to gravity
- force that pulls
- force between masses
Everything with mass pulls on everything else through gravity, which is why apples fall down instead of up. This force keeps planets moving around the sun and keeps your feet on the ground. The word gravitational describes anything connected to this force. You might hear about gravitational waves, a gravitational field, or gravitational force in science. It is an important idea in physics and astronomy because it helps explain how objects affect each other across space.
The word gravitational describes anything related to gravity, the force that pulls objects with mass toward each other. It is not just about large things like planets and stars. Every object with mass creates this pull, although the strength depends on how much mass it has and how far away another object is.
Think about it: the Earth's gravitational field keeps us from floating off into space, and the moon stays in orbit because of the same force. Scientists also study gravitational lensing, where light bends around very massive objects, to learn more about distant galaxies.
The term is most common in physics and astronomy. You will often see it in phrases like gravitational force, gravitational pull, gravitational field, gravitational wave, and gravitational energy. In each case, it refers to something caused by gravity or connected to the way gravity works.
So, whether you are talking about falling apples, orbiting planets, black holes, or waves moving through space, gravitational points to the effects of gravity and the way this force shapes motion and structure in the universe.
Examples
- 1
Ocean tides
The moon's gravitational pull affects the ocean tides.
- 2
Space travel
In space, astronauts still feel gravitational forces when they move near a planet.
- 3
Earth science
The scientists measured tiny changes in the Earth's gravitational field.
- 4
Black holes
Astronomers study how a black hole's gravitational force can bend light.
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- gravitationaladjective