Planck’s constant and the gravitational constant are considered fundamental constants of nature. Both are instrumental in calculating physical quantities, but what makes them fundamental? Are they truly irreducible quantities from first principles, or just misunderstood? A close examination of the constants shows why they are not fundamental, but made from fundamental units. Reason #1: The … Read more
One of the pressing questions in modern physics is why gravity seems so much weaker than the other forces. Compared to the electromagnetic force, the gravity we experience is 40 orders of magnitude weaker. Should we even expect these forces to be comparable? It turns out that we should. The maximum force potential of gravity … Read more
The gravitational constant is a number. What sets it apart from other numbers is that you can multiply the gravitational constant by the mass and radius of a large body to find the strength of its gravitational field. Calculating acceleration, force, energy, and other gravitational potentials is simple. Just multiply the constant by the right … Read more