Gravitation

(grăv-e-tā'shun.) [From L. gravitas, heavine .) (Phys.) The name given to the great law, established by Newton, that every particle of matter within the universe attracts every other particle with a force proportional directly to the product of the numbers representing their ma , and inversely to the square of the distance separating one from the other. The term G. is more commonly applied to the operation of the great law throughout the interplanetary and interstellar spaces, while the term gravity or Terrestrial gravitation is applied to the action of the earth's ma upon terrestrial bodies. G. forms the bond by which the countle particles comprising the universe are held together in their present arrangement and shape; and it equally regulates the descent of the minutest grain of dust to the ground, and the motion of the planets in their orbits. The force of G. varies directly as the ma es of the gravitating bodies; for example, if one of two such bodies has a ma twice that of the other, then the attracting force of the former is twice that of the latter. It varies also inversely as the square of their distances; for example, if a given distance be made twice greater, the attracting force will be four times le . As it is the combined operation of every part of the globe that produces terrestrial G., we may consider the attracting force to act only from the centre. G. has the same intensity at all parts of the earth's surface, which are at equal distances from the centre. The farther away a body is from that point the le is the gravitating force. Consequently that force is le intense on the top of a Live Capitale Counties 100,000 upwarde rpoo 304 Towne N Yo e r to m 10 are of w k l 6 of 100,000 & 10,000 under Ca Cl from 20 pe to 20,000 to 10 Note 60 Hunting don Durham Ramsgate 8 Hall 50 Pl ym Longitude Green wich 260 ou. th to West Seilly of 80 6 Le m 5 nd ² 80 on to Lands Mary End London rfor Wate o t d DS [s. 420] Philadelphia F al mouth 30 E Penze Ellwo Philadelphia F al mouth 30 E Penze Ellwood ne PtBite 50 Iv o Dublin Trevo 320, London to Dublin 640m² Davis S e S N s t Bo Zell Char rd Carm WA H Dart fr ea Co & T. se from o en ux. G OR Tru m te Hart land, Lizard 20 LL Launces tons moon BR ford CH Head Edaratons N Lundy L Barn staple IS AN Glasgow London Plymouth L. Havre or quay Pollimin DEVO Bude Npacoт'e TO NE to Bay Barn staplers m² 700 to I Bar L 45 m S ² A Forest Tiverton H Exeter Le Bridgwater 4 Start CHANNEL Plym Pt B ISLANDS Lond amo Taunton Guernsey 360 ou CHANNELLeith Veston ch to o Po ut DORSE Yeov 116 n m rt h Dorches Jersey Herm sm Lyme Pier ou Bay St th Pool R Alderney 15 Wel Bath 0m Weymouth ter S ls WILTS HIRE Heliers 80 20 HAMP / Portl E St Dsereg and Salis Bill of SUSS SHIR Cherbourg St Devizes ou bury r Alb Needler E 12 0 m H a 2 na Forest PURIS Sout SUR van Bou Winchester Cather New hamp Hast EX Alder log Farnham Re ince S. of 5 m Spi REY 0 e ton ings Wight the ne shot, ad Le Lit Guild for 20/ Bi l Fungov RCaen l e tle 110m vre Ha l ham a c 10 to pto Trouville 20 n y KENT Honfleur Havre Br Fecamp ig Seine ht Lewes an ex a h Dove ven er 17 Bea Welle 0 A Maids H c r L d i h to ond y tone Dieppe Lothe Hthe R.Somme Bartholomew And rec oles Dunge Treport atone 20 StVale ROUEN Lovelarid J. to London Ed 175m, o p R E Edin 50 Bantry Ding n Rav B Mannin Achi Mize Mavrillionddvs 5 a Shanno M Mulle Bay le 2 y Dingle Slyne 54 e Achil The H Loo CLAR LeB l r Tral A s Boekyy R. H Clar n p Aran ay ear W Clem ce LI e Skibbereen ৫২Tralee 50 I MERI Ma Corrib Bandry E B. Galway LConn Ban l Stough Ennis 00 donKi Yougha Loynes Veetp Castle bar Queen stow Cark B bleat way CK & Lee R. WATE SLIGO Courtm no ate ☑ l Cl Mallow on Gore ak a RF Bla Gar il [s. 50] IMG:plate0463.jpg:Gravür