Newton's constant of gravitation

 
 

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.
 
 

A selection of measured values of G

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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