Do we really, really know what gravity is?

Answer 1

Unfortunately, no.

But what we do know is that is an effect that is very powerful and important in our daily life. Without it, there would be be no atmosphere, no solar system, no galaxy, and all of us would go whipping off into the absyss of space like dust.

Einstein postulated a theory that led to the recent advent of string theory to try to explain gravity, by postulating that gravity was caused by a warp in the space time continuum, but I'll leave it at that - It's just still a theory - nothing more.

Answer 2

Yes. The force of gravity is a particular form of energy. In that this force performs work continuously it must have an energy source. The force of gravity is part of the physics trilogy - E = mc2, m = E/c2, and c2 = E/m. The last of the three defines the force of gravity. It is the heat energy within our planet divided by its mass that tells what the force of the field will be. If there were no heat energy within our planet, there would be no gravitational field. http://timebones.blogspot.com and http://360.yahoo.com/noddarc

Answer 3

all we do know is that gravity is one of the four forces of nature (the others being electomagnetism, strong nuclear force and the weak nuclear force) we dont know where it comes from either .

All we do know is that it is comparitivley weak when compared to the others. Sure it doesn't feel weak when you fall on yor face but it is possible to pick up a paper clip with a small fridge magnet which is being held down by the pull of the whole planet.

the holy grail of quantum theroist at the moment is to unifiy these
fields in the same way that james clark maxwell unified electricity and magnetisim.

This idea is known as grand unification.

Answer 4

Yes -- gravity is a curvature of space-time caused by the presence of mass. Postulated by Einstein's ideas about relativity, this has been proven numerous times (the first in 1919, when Arthur Eddington observed the positions of stars near the sun's rim during a solar eclipse, and confirmed that the sun's gravity "bent" their light, making their positions appear different).

Given that we know for a fact that matter is just another form of energy (from e=mc2, another of einstein's discoveries, violently verified through nuclear weapons), it shouldn't be surprising that this form of energy (mass) in great concentrations can warp the fabric of space-time.

Yes, we really, really know. :)

Answer 5

Go jump off a building and I think you would know what gravity really is.

Answer 6

Gravity is a force which is the attraction bet two real bodies

Answer 7

No.

The word "gravity" was originally reserved for the attraction caused by the Earth on objects at the surface of Earth.

Newton talked of gravity and of "that force, whatever it is, by which the planets are perpetually drawn aside from the rectilinear motions, which otherwise they would pursue".
(Definition V, at the beginning of "Principia")

Answer 8

No. It is now believed to be a warping of the time space continuum by the presence of a large body, rather like an iron ball on a rubber sheet making an indentation. Then, things will naturally go towards the body because it is downhill and objects trying to pass by take a geodesic path and appear to circle the object. Of course, this may all change.

Answer 9

Yes.

Gravity does two things.

It shows that the attractive force between material objects is very weak.

And gravity causes "space" to bend.

But we'd really,really
like to know more.

Answer 10

Apparently! I can't jump up without coming down...i think that's called gravity!!!!! yeah... i think we mostly know what gravity is!
:)