Gravitational Constant: What Influences Its Value?

In summary, the gravitational constant is influenced by various mathematical relationships and experiments have shown that it changes less than 1 millionth of a percent per year. There may be more to understand about how reality operates and the constants Epsilon naught and Mu naught may be related. If someone were to propose a new force to explain these phenomena, it would need to be supported by good experimental and observational results.
  • #1
Werg22
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I'm asking myself, what influences the gravitational constant? Our universe must somehow have characteristics that have a certain mathematical relation which leads to this value... Have any papers been written on the matter?
 
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  • #2
a lot of information on the gravitational constant can be found by doing a google search on "gravitational constant".

one link:

http://www.rssd.esa.int/SA-general/Projects/GAIA_files/LATEX2HTML/node143.html

discusses experiments measuring possible rate of changes in the change per year in the value of the Universal Gravitational constant.

the abs[(dG/dt/G)/G] has been shown to be less than 1^10^-15 per year!
from experiments discussed at this link.

love and peace,
and,
peace and love,
(kirk) kirk gregory czuhai
http://www.altelco.net/~lovekgc/kirksresume.htm
 
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  • #3
thats very interesting. Are there any similar ideas about Epsilon naught and Mu naught? Is there a relationship between all three that shows how they are dependant on each other? Then again, if Epsilon naught and Mu naught can change then the speed of light can too. What if a change in G is exactly compensated with changes in Epsilon and Mu in a way that keeps C constant?
 
  • #4
Jonny_trigonometry said:
What if a change in G is exactly compensated with changes in Epsilon and Mu in a way that keeps C constant?

I won't say its absolutely impossible. but how reasonable does that sound to you?
 
  • #5
well, it does sound reasonable to me because I believe there is more to understand about how reality operates. I think that maybe what we've concluded with so far is severely lacking something that puts consistancy between the two main fields of study: GR and QM. So I look for anything that may offer some kind of insight.
 
  • #6
In this particular case, I guess it's not really GR and QM but rather electromagnetism and gravity... Thats another thing I have a problem with, I don't like how when we can't understand how something works, we make up a new force to explain it (strong and weak forces). I know that there is a problem with them not being there, but I hate the line of thought that action at a distance can't be true, so people invent gluons and gravitons... I just think there are too many loose ends (hanging from the blimp that is physics) that can get caught on trees and bring things to a hault... Too many holes in the boat that is physics and the bilge pumps can't compensate for taking in so much water.
 
  • #7
Werg22 said:
I'm asking myself, what influences the gravitational constant? Our universe must somehow have characteristics that have a certain mathematical relation which leads to this value... Have any papers been written on the matter?
Have you had a look at the various String Theory/M-Theory summary/review papers? Ditto, the LQG ones? Other than rank speculation, I can't think of where else you'd find any :eek:
I don't like how when we can't understand how something works, we make up a new force to explain it (strong and weak forces). I know that there is a problem with them not being there, but I hate the line of thought that action at a distance can't be true, so people invent gluons and gravitons
Leaving aside certain inaccuracies (or maybe 'imprecisions' would be a better word) in this, I have a challenge for you ... if you don't like it, how about doing something about it? After all, physics is quite open when it comes to considering new approaches! (Just be sure to show how your ideas would be consistent with good experimental and observational results :smile: )
 

FAQ: Gravitational Constant: What Influences Its Value?

What is the gravitational constant?

The gravitational constant, denoted as G, is a fundamental physical constant that quantifies the strength of the gravitational force between two objects with mass. It is commonly used in Newton's law of universal gravitation and Einstein's theory of general relativity.

How is the value of the gravitational constant determined?

The value of the gravitational constant is determined through experiments and measurements by scientists. One method is to measure the gravitational force between two objects with known masses and distances, and then use the equation F = G*m1*m2/r^2 to solve for G. This value is then compared to other experiments and refined over time.

What factors influence the value of the gravitational constant?

The value of the gravitational constant can be influenced by various factors, such as the distance between two objects, the masses of the objects, and the type of material between the objects. It can also be affected by the curvature of space-time and the presence of other forces, such as electromagnetism.

Has the value of the gravitational constant changed over time?

There is currently no evidence to suggest that the value of the gravitational constant has changed over time. However, some theories, such as the varying speed of light theory, propose that the value of G may have been different in the early universe. Further research and experiments are needed to better understand the potential changes in the value of G over time.

Why is the gravitational constant important?

The gravitational constant is important because it helps us understand and predict the behavior of objects in the universe. It is essential in calculating the gravitational force between two objects, which is crucial in fields such as astronomy, astrophysics, and space exploration. The value of G also plays a significant role in understanding the structure and evolution of the universe.

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