![]() All objects that have a mass, feel the tug of gravity, irrespective of whether they are charged or uncharged. ![]() So, how are magnetism and gravity different? For starters, magnetism is affected by the electronic configuration or charge of atoms, while gravity is independent of charge. To put it in simplest words, ‘ Matter Tells Space How to Bend and Space Tells Matter How to Move‘! For a better understanding, refer to the marvelous book by Bernard Schutz, titled ‘ Gravity from the Ground Up: An Introductory Guide to Gravity and General Relativity‘. ![]() It is not possible to explain the ‘General Theory of Relativity’ here, but that’s the central idea of gravity which it presents. Space time itself bends because of the presence of matter and it influences the trajectories of ‘free falling’ particles within it! Gravity is no longer recognized as a force! What we feel as a gravitational force is the result of the curvature of space time induced by the presence of matter in it. Though Newton’s theory has been tested experimentally and can successfully predict macroscopic movement of satellites and planets quite accurately, it does not confirm with the special theory of relativity, which defines the structure of space time.Įinstein provided an alternative which effectively demolished the old Newtonian idea of gravity as an ‘action at a distance’ force and replaced it with an entirely new paradigm. Newton’s law of gravitation states that every particle of matter gets attracted to every other piece of matter by a force which is directly proportional to the masses of the two particles and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. What is Gravity?Īccording to the now discarded Newtonian theory, gravity is the universal force of attraction felt by every piece of matter, exerted by other forces of matter. After that brief overview of magnetism, let us move over to gravity. Most importantly, electric power generation is made possible by the giant magnets placed inside power plant dynamos. Magnets are used in countless electronic gadgets like audio speakers, doorbells, computer hard drives and in the construction of ‘Magnetic Levitation (Maglev) trains’. Through this ScienceStruck article, I present a magnetism vs gravity comparison, which will illuminate the major differences in the nature of these two force fields that pervade nature.Īll conductors with an electric current flowing through them, have a magnetic field around them, making them ‘electromagnets’. While the force of gravity felt by a particle is purely dependent on mass, electromagnetic forces are mediated by charge. On the other hand, at microscopic scales, electromagnetic force determines atomic structure, determining the properties of materials. Gravity is the force which determines the large-scale structure of space time by clumping together matter from planetary scales to galactic clusters, determining the ultimate fate of the universe. ![]() Both magnetism (as one aspect of the electromagnetic force) and gravity are two fundamental forces of nature, which mold matter at the microscopic and macroscopic scales. While we owe it to gravity, to keep our feet firmly grounded on Earth, it is due to magnetism that devices like electric generators, motors, fans, hard drives and countless other electronic gadgets help make our life comfortable.
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