Gravity

by Manning, Phillip

• ISBN13: 9781604132960
• ISBN10: 1604132965
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2010-12-01
• Publisher: Facts on File

Summary

Gravity dominates the universe. It holds the Earth, the Sun, and the Milky Way together, and it keeps our feet firmly planted on the surface of our planet. When an object goes up, it is pulled back to Earth by gravity. These facts make it easy to conclude that gravity is a strong force, but it is actually a very weak force whose confusing and contradictory nature has stumped many investigators. Gravity explains how two of the greatest scientific minds in history--Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein--finally unraveled most of the mystery surrounding this peculiar force, and how scientists today are continuing to search for answers to the remaining questions.

Author Biography

Phillip Manning is the author of four other books and 150 magazine and newspaper articles. His most recent book, Islands of Hope, won the 1999 National Outdoor Book award for nature and the environment. Manning has a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Table of Contents

A Not-So-Simple Concept	p. 7
Newton to the Rescue	p. 20
Using Newton's Law	p. 36
The Mystery of the Tides	p. 45
A Better Idea	p. 61
Relativity: Making the Case	p. 80
Dark Matter, Dark Energy	p. 89
Extreme Gravity	p. 104
Glossary	p. 122
Bibliography	p. 128
Further Resources	p. 132
Picture Credits	p. 134
Index	p. 135
About the Author	p. 139
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

Excerpts

Gravity dominates the universe. It holds the Earth, the Sun, and the Milky Way together, and it keeps our feet firmly planted on the surface of our planet. When an object goes up, it is pulled back to Earth by gravity. These facts make it easy to conclude that gravity is a strong force, but it is actually a very weak force whose confusing and contradictory nature has stumped many investigators.Gravityexplains how two of the greatest scientific minds in history—Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein—finally unraveled most of the mystery surrounding this peculiar force, and how scientists today are continuing to search for answers to the remaining questions.

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Excerpted from Gravity by Phillip Manning
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