• Question: Can you 'make' gravity?

    Asked by dizzyg12 to Susan, Dilwar on 13 Nov 2013.
    • Photo: Susan Skelton

      Susan Skelton answered on 13 Nov 2013:

      Hi dizzy!
      Another really interesting question!

      Actually anything that has mass has some gravity, so every object in the universe (no matter how big or small) has a gravitational force which it exerts on every other object in the universe. Even you and I are exerting a small gravitational force on each other!

      So, in a sense, we can make gravity by making objects! But we can’t make gravity separate from objects.

      Gravity is actually still not very well understood by scientists – we know what it does and how it behaves, but we still don’t really understand how it operates: how can you be exerting a force on me when I am so far away from you??

      Until we understand it better, we won’t be able to make gravity. But scientists do make “artificial gravity” to use in spacecrafts to keep astronauts healthy and prevent them from losing part of their bones while they travel through space. Despite the name, this is not really gravity though – it is created by spinning the spacecraft really quickly so that the astronauts are pushed to the outside – in the same way that water doesn’t fall out of a bucket when you spin it upside down quickly over your head. Try it!! 😉

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