Is the law of gravitation still just a theory?

Answer 1

Newton wasn't "wrong", just not as general. With the theory of general relativity you can arrive at the approximation of Newton's law. Please see:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ApfDNSZCIVIriEyLbWwuiUrty6IX?qid=20070612133549AATOupK&show=7#profile-info-d363669e353d4db098f6db1598e77488aa

Answer 2

Newton gave us Universal Gravitation, which lets us calculate gravitational force under most ordinary conditions.

Einstein's General Relativity extended that to relativistic conditions (speeds near the speed of light) and gave us a different way of viewing it (warping of spacetime).

We don't know what happens with gravity at the quantum scale. There are several competing theories being worked on, including quantum gravity, string theory, and M-brane theory. None is mature enough to really qualify as a law.

Answer 3

There are two separate things ... the law of gravity, and the theory of gravity.

The law of gravity is the description of how masses behave (the whole inverse square law and everything).

The theory of gravity is the explanation for *why* the law of gravity holds. (This is where we get into Einstein's relativity, or the concept of 'gravitons', etc.)

But PLEASE, don't every say "just a theory"! In science a "theory" just means "explanation with evidence", (as opposed to a hypothesis, which means "explanation in need of evidence"). When you say "just a theory" this implies that a theory is some sort of mere "guess" ... a "wannabe law". It is not.

Again, a theory is an explanation. A law is a description.

That is why a theory can never become law, a law can never become theory.

Answer 4

Problem with your phraseology, " just a theory ". Theories contain laws and facts. You do not promote a theory to anything, as it is the highest concept. A scientific law is an observed, empirical generalization, while a theory is an explanation of law. The two words are sometimes interchangeable, but only theory is predictive of further facts to be found. You need to know the scientific meaning of these words. A good, not desktop, dictionary is recommended.

PS It is, " The Theory of Gravity ".

Answer 5

gravity is considered not a theory, but a law because it has proved to give the same results time and time again while tested.

If you really get down to it everything is technically a theory because we simply cannot say with 100% certainty that whenever you drop the ball in your hand that it will fall to the ground. (This is due to quantum laws such as the Uncertainty Principle). However because everytime in experiment whenever the ball is dropped it falls down to the ground we go ahead and call it a law.

so to answer your question for all intents and purposes gravity is a law

Answer 6

Newton was wrong. Zero empirical falsifications to General Relativity.

http://relativity.livingreviews.org/Articles/lrr-2001-4/index.html
http://arXiv.org/abs/gr-qc/0311039
http://www.physics.adelaide.edu.au/~dkoks/Faq/Relativity/SR/experiments.html
Experimental constraints on General Relativity

http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/ptti/ptti2002/paper20.pdf
Nature 425 374 (2003)
http://www.eftaylor.com/pub/projecta.pdf
http://www.public.asu.edu/~rjjacob/Lecture16.pdf
http://relativity.livingreviews.org/Articles/lrr-2003-1/index.html
Relativity in the GPS system

http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0609417
Deeply relativistic neutron star binary PSR J0737-3039A/B

Answer 7

Is it a theory or are your feet still pretty well planted to the ground?

Answer 8

"Theory" means "maybe", like "Theory of Evolution", which is really all guesswork. We have no proof that we came from monkeys, and we have no proof that there's gravity holding us down. We only THINK we fall down, but that's the power of media-driven illusion. D---n these godless people.

Answer 9

It's a law. That's why it has law in it's name.