Distribution of Force

[Oddt]

Hey everyone,

 

Gravity is a constant in both the worlds of the scientist and layman, and as a member of the latter hoping to ascend to the former, I was hoping I could gain a clearer understanding on one of its key natures. I ask, then: Do the forces of gravity affect all spacial dimensions with the same amount of force? It seems likely, as that would explain why most bodies with massive gravitational pulls are spherical. It doesn't really explain the reasoning for ellipses in orbital rotation. And (please recall I'm a high schooler who hasn't taken physics yet) would gravity from a source affect objects, hypothetically, in dimensions impercievable to homo sapiens?

 

Thanks,

Oddt

[swansont]

It's a matter of space being isotropic. And the answer to that is yes, space is isotropic. There is no preferred direction. This symmetry manifests itself in physical terms as conservation of angular momentum — things do not spontaneously change their rotation characteristics.

[DrRocket]

Hey everyone,

 

Gravity is a constant in both the worlds of the scientist and layman, and as a member of the latter hoping to ascend to the former, I was hoping I could gain a clearer understanding on one of its key natures. I ask, then: Do the forces of gravity affect all spacial dimensions with the same amount of force? It seems likely, as that would explain why most bodies with massive gravitational pulls are spherical. It doesn't really explain the reasoning for ellipses in orbital rotation. And (please recall I'm a high schooler who hasn't taken physics yet) would gravity from a source affect objects, hypothetically, in dimensions impercievable to homo sapiens?

 

Thanks,

Oddt

 

String theory and other promising but speculative ideas notwithstanding, so far as is known there are only three spatial dimensions. Gravity works the same way in all of them,

 

The reason that many bodies tend to be spherical is related to minimization of potential energy which is related to the fact that a sphere is the shape of minimal surface area for a given volume.

 

Elliptical orbits result from the inverse square law of gravity and ordinary Newtonian mechanics. In fact, Newton developed much of his theory -- including inventing calculus and differential equations -- in an effort to explain Kepler's laws of planetary motion.

 

These things are relatively easily explained, but only after you have some physics and calculus under your belt.

[Oddt]

Thanks Swan and Dr! I'm taking Physics next year, so hopefully this will all make a bit more sense in the coming future