What are the two main factors affecting gravitational force on an object?

The gravitational force between two objects is primarily influenced by two factors: their masses and the distance between them. According to the law of universal gravitation, the force of gravity increases with greater mass and decreases as the distance between the objects increases.

When the masses of the objects involved are larger, they exert a stronger gravitational pull on each other. For example, the Earth’s large mass is why it has such a significant gravitational influence; it attracts objects towards itself with considerable force.

Conversely, as the distance between two objects increases, the gravitational force they exert on one another diminishes significantly. This relationship is described by the inverse square law, which states that if you double the distance, the gravitational force is reduced to a quarter of its initial value.

Understanding these two factors helps clarify how gravitational interactions work in a variety of contexts, from objects falling towards Earth to the orbits of planets around the Sun.