Gravitational Force Calculator
Calculate the gravitational pull between any two masses with Newton's law of universal gravitation, F = G m₁ m₂ ÷ r². Pick a preset such as the Earth and Moon, or solve for a mass or the distance. You also get each body's acceleration, the orbital speed and period, and your weight on other worlds.
Scientific notation works: 5.9722e24 = 5.9722 × 10²⁴
How to use the Gravitational Force Calculator
- Pick a preset or choose what to solve for: force, mass 1, mass 2 or distance.
- Enter the two masses with their units.
- Enter the distance between their centres (for an object on a planet's surface, use the planet's radius).
- Read the force in newtons and pound-force, plus each body's acceleration and the orbit figures.
- Scroll down for the inverse-square table and the weight of mass 2 on other planets.
Newton's law of universal gravitation
F = G × m₁ × m₂ ÷ r²
G = 6.67430 × 10⁻¹¹ N·m²/kg² (CODATA 2018), m₁ and m₂ are the masses in kilograms and r is the distance between their centres in metres. Rearranged: m₁ = F r² ÷ (G m₂) and r = √(G m₁ m₂ ÷ F).
Related results: surface gravity g = G M ÷ R², potential energy U = −G m₁ m₂ ÷ r, circular orbit speed v = √(G (m₁ + m₂) ÷ r), orbital period T = 2π √(r³ ÷ (G (m₁ + m₂))) and escape velocity vesc = √(2 G M ÷ r).
Masses and radii used for the presets
| Body | Mass (kg) | Mean radius (km) | Surface gravity (m/s²) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sun | 1.98847 × 10³⁰ | 695,700 | 274 |
| Mercury | 3.3011 × 10²³ | 2,439.7 | 3.70 |
| Venus | 4.8675 × 10²⁴ | 6,051.8 | 8.87 |
| Earth | 5.9722 × 10²⁴ | 6,371.0 | 9.82 |
| Moon | 7.342 × 10²² | 1,737.4 | 1.62 |
| Mars | 6.4171 × 10²³ | 3,389.5 | 3.73 |
| Jupiter | 1.89813 × 10²⁷ | 69,911 | 25.9 |
| Saturn | 5.6834 × 10²⁶ | 58,232 | 11.2 |
| Uranus | 8.6810 × 10²⁵ | 25,362 | 9.01 |
| Neptune | 1.02413 × 10²⁶ | 24,622 | 11.3 |
Surface gravity here is G M ÷ R² at the mean radius, without the effect of rotation. Mean Earth-Moon distance: 384,400 km. 1 astronomical unit (AU) = 149,597,870.7 km.
Frequently asked questions
What is Newton's law of universal gravitation?
Every two masses attract each other with a force F = G m₁ m₂ ÷ r², where m₁ and m₂ are the masses, r is the distance between their centres and G is the gravitational constant. The force acts along the line joining them, and each body feels the same size of force in opposite directions.
What is the value of the gravitational constant G?
The CODATA 2018 recommended value is G = 6.67430 × 10⁻¹¹ N·m²/kg² (uncertainty about 22 parts per million). It is one of the least precisely known fundamental constants because gravity between laboratory masses is so weak.
What distance should I use for an object on a planet's surface?
Use the distance between the centres of mass, which for an object on the surface is the planet's radius (Earth's mean radius is 6,371 km). Gravity outside a spherical body acts as if all its mass were at the centre.
What is the gravitational force between the Earth and the Moon?
With the Earth's mass 5.9722 × 10²⁴ kg, the Moon's mass 7.342 × 10²² kg and a mean distance of 384,400 km, F ≈ 1.98 × 10²⁰ N. Choose the Earth-Moon preset to see the working.
Why don't I feel the gravity of people around me?
Because G is tiny. Two 70 kg people 1 m apart attract each other with about 3.3 × 10⁻⁷ N, roughly the weight of a few hundredths of a milligram. Gravity is only noticeable when at least one mass is huge, like a planet.
How does the force change with distance?
It follows an inverse-square law: doubling the distance cuts the force to a quarter, and ten times the distance gives one hundredth of the force. The table under the results shows this for your masses.
How is surface gravity calculated?
The acceleration due to gravity at a planet's surface is g = G M ÷ R², which is the force per kilogram. For the Earth, 6.6743 × 10⁻¹¹ × 5.9722 × 10²⁴ ÷ (6.371 × 10⁶)² ≈ 9.82 m/s², close to the standard 9.80665 m/s² (rotation and shape cause small local differences).