Before 1687, we never knew about the phenomenon of gravity, we didn’t know why things always fell to the ground. But through Isaac Newton’s mathematical interpretation on gravity, we unlocked a hidden world where gravity is an integral part of our lives, and also the universe. Because without gravity, there wouldn’t be life on earth – or even the earth itself! Even today, gravity is such an intriguing topic that it is discussed right from elementary classes to collegiate levels and even competitive exams like JEE Main. Here are 3 interesting facts about gravity.
3 Interesting Facts About Gravity
Your Muscles Become Weak In Space
In space, your body is not inhibited by gravity and your muscles and skeletons do not need to hold you up. This means you can move around in a space shuttle without ever breaking a sweat. However, the longer you stay in space, the more your muscles lose function and waste away (Atrophy). Therefore, when an astronaut gets back to earth, gravity overwhelms their already atrophied muscles.
Bacteria Becomes Stronger In Space
Certain harmful microorganisms become more virulent when exposed to microgravity. This was confirmed through an experiment where samples of the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa were sent up into space via Space shuttle Atlantis. The samples were then observed to have developed thicker cell walls. Also, they were found to be more resilient to antibiotics than their normal counterparts back on Earth. The reasons for this still remain a mystery though.
Infinite Gravity
According to Einstein, an object massive enough can warp space and time around it. This metaphor explains the concept better: Imagine a ball rolling along the surface of a trampoline, the heavier (denser) the ball, the deeper the depression that forms on the surface of the trampoline. The “depression” can be thought of as the gravitational effect of the ball. Similarly, a black hole is an object that is considered so infinitely dense that not even light can escape its gravitational pull. This is the reason why they are pitch black.
These are some of the facts you should know about gravity. If you want more science related articles or are preparing for JEE 2019, please login to BYJU’s website or subscribe to our YouTube channel.
