What this calculator does
Newton's law of universal gravitation works out gravitational force and potential energy between two masses. Enter your own figures above and the answer updates as you type: nothing is fixed in the code, so the result reflects exactly the numbers you supply.
The formula this calculator evaluates is printed under the tool and explained below, so you can check the working by hand or reuse it in a spreadsheet.
The formula
FormulaF = Gm₁m₂/r²; U = −Gm₁m₂/r, G = 6.67430×10⁻¹¹ m³/(kg·s²)
The inputs explained
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Mass 1 (kg) | A number, measured in kg. Starts at 70. |
| Mass 2 (kg) | A number, measured in kg. Starts at 5.972e+24. |
| Distance between centres (m) | A number, measured in m. Starts at 6371000. |
Worked examples
Every figure in the tables below is produced by this page’s own calculator at build time, so the numbers and the tool always agree. Select any row to load that scenario.
How the answer changes with mass 1
Every other input is held at the calculator’s starting values while mass 1 varies. Select any row to load that scenario into the calculator.
How the answer changes with mass 1