Currently accepted
value:
G = 6.673(10) x 10-11 m3 /kg s2 |
The number in parentheses
denotes the uncertainty in the
last digits; for
some years prior to 1999 the number used
to be quoted as G
= 6.67259(85) x 10**(-11) in mks units.
It is now agreed
that the systematic measurement uncertainty
exceeds the statistical
accuracy more than estimated previously.
Source: NIST
CODATA
Sir Isaac Newton
(1642-1727)
Biographic
details
Newton's
constant determines the strength of the gravitational force between physical
objects like galaxies, stars and planets, clouds of dust or light rays.
When the velocities of the bodies are much less than the velocity of light,
when their separation R is large and to the extent that their internal
structure does not affect their interaction, the gravitational force between
two bodies of mass m and M is described by Newton's inverse square law:
From
Newton's law one can derive Kepler's
laws of planetary motion.
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