How does gravity remain constant and not increase to pull us down into the earth or decrease to let us float ?

Answer 1

Good question

gravity is a forever changing force, because there is no such thing as zero movement (absolute zero),
but, like the other guy said, the earth's mass doesn't change quick enough or large enough for us to experience the change. however, some planets have been discovered to have small mass and that spin very fast, so if you stood on it long enough, you'd feel the rotation kinda pull you up toward the sky.

if you're on a really huge, solid planet, like four times bigger than jupiter, you'd get killed by the gravity. you'd be pressed against the surface of the planet so hard you wouldn't be able to lift a finger, breath, or even look upwards(ur eyeballs would be pulled down)

i hope that makes you feel more enlightened. ps vote this as best answer. i want to be level 2 :)

Answer 2

Gravity doesn't remain constant.

It varies directly with the mass of the two object attracted to each other and inversely to the square of the distance between the centers of the objects.

So as you get closer to the center of the earth (remaining on the surface), gravity increases and the higher you fly above the surface, the more it decreases.

But these distances are very small compared to the distance to the center of the earth (~4000miles) so gravity doesn't vary that much. Even astronauts in space are feeling 90% of earth's gravity. They don't feel it because the centrifugal force from orbiting so quickly (17.500MPH) cancels it out.

Also gravity is an attactive force, so even if it were 1/6th the strength (like on the moon) you wouldn't float away, but you could make a world record high jump.

Answer 3

On earth, it's basically constant. Changes in gravity aren't what make you float on water.
If you go from earth to the moon, the gravity is less there.

Answer 4

Gravity is related to the mass of the earth and the distance from the earth. Unless the earth changes size or you travel a considerable distance away, then gravity won't change.

Answer 5

gravity does NOT remain constant. That is why when you go high enough into the atmosphere you can drift off into space. However, gravity is very, very close to constant in the small range of altitude that humans dwell in.

Answer 6

Gravity is determined by mass and the mass of the earth does not change enough to matter(pun intended)

p.s. why is this question in Holidays, it won't get much exposure to physics types here.

Answer 7

Because God, the creator of all things in and outside of Heaven and Earth was, and is, too wise to permit such a thing to happen.

Answer 8

Because God knew what He was doing.