Anthony Karambelas
Science III
September 14th, 2013
Summary:
In the article Gravity by Donald B. DeYoung, the mysterious force known as gravity was defined and explained. It is responsible for many things we take for granted in life: keeping us on the ground, directing our planet around the sun, causing rainfall, and even moving tides! Clearly, gravity has been in existence long before humans came about, yet we have still been unsuccessful in completely uncovering its secrets. What made it what it is? As DeYoung puts it, gravity is “an absolute testimony to creation.” The first science pioneers to investigate and begin the “materialization” process of gravity included Galileo Galilei (1564-1642), Isaac Newton (1642-1727), and Henry Cavendish (1731, 1810). Galileo’s contribution included exploring the motion of falling objects. Isaac Newton helped by describing the law of gravity. He stated, “All objects in the universe attract each other”. The more the mass of an object, the stronger the force. The more distance between two objects, the less the force. Henry Cavendish measured the gravitation constant, which allowed scientists to accurately calculate the force of gravity. Below are samples from Galileo and Newton’s diaries describing their thoughts on gravity:
“Galileo: From the Divine Word, the Sacred Scripture and Nature did both alike proceed.
Newton: This most beautiful [gravitational] system of the sun, planets, and comets could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being.
Newton: When I wrote my treatise [principia] about our [solar system], I had an eye on such principles as might work with considering men for the belief in a Deity; and nothing can rejoice me more than to fin it useful for that purpose.” As you can see, gravity did fascinate them quite a bit. DeYoung also discusses simple properties of gravity which make it what it is: “1.) Gravity does not change with time. 2.) Aside from air resistance, large and small object fall downward in exactly the same time. 3.) Gravity is always attractive, while other forces such as magnetism can either repel or attract. 4.) Gravity cannot be fumed off or shielded in any way. 5.) Gravity attraction does not depend on the composition of objects, only on their mass of weight. 6.) The gravity force decreases with distance but is actually infinite in its extent.” As we struggle to understand gravity with our concepts of “natural” science, possibilities begin to dwindle and we are soon left with no choice but to resort to desperate causes (unusual ones at that). In this case, namely the Bible. DeYoung points out two scriptures which assist in the understanding of gravity. The first, from Colossians 1:17 “explains that Christ is before all things, and by Him all things consist.” Of course, in religious context, gravity is portrayed as a tool of God himself. As DeYoung states, “If the Lord turned His back on the universe for one moment, instant chaos would result. Without gravity, the earth, moon, and stars would immediately disintegrate.” The second scripture, from Hebrews 1:3, “declares that Christ upholds all things by the word of His power.” So, in this scripture, gravity is a force that not only keeps everything in place, but controls all life-form’s behaviors. Lastly, Deyoung discusses four forces of nature we use and acknowledge in our day-to-day lives. First off, there is the electromagnetic force. Then, the strong and weak nuclear forces. Finally, there is gravity which is “actually 1040 times weaker than electromagnetism, and the only force known in Newton’s day.” There have been many attempts made to unify these four forces under one entity or theory. The first success was by Faraday and Maxwell who combined electricity and magnetism. No matter how hard we try to focus gravity, it just becomes more and more foggy. Is there ever an end to its complexity? Or must we look to unsubstantial theories or beliefs to satisfy our curiosity?
Author’s Research:
As this article drew such diverse references, I cannot even begin to imagine the amount of research Donald B. Deyoung must have done! Most references are concealed, but the few obvious ones I noticed were Galileo’s letters of 1613-1600, Newton’s Principia, The Bible, and of course the lives of Galileo, Newton, and Cavendish.
General Topic and Usefulness:
This article is about gravity and its unique properties. It is very and detailed and explains the topic very thoroughly. This information is not very useful to myself or a layman for that matter, but I suppose it would be very intriguing for a scientist who specializes in the field of earth sciences. I don’t mean to say gravity isn’t a profoundly interesting topic, but I don’t see how such information could be applied to our daily lives. The only thing the population needs to know is it exists, so they don’t try something stupid like standing under a boulder about to tip off a ledge.
Additional Information:
This article is, of course, about active gravity, but it made me wonder about life in zero-gravity. It began to stir thoughts in my mind about the properties and consequences of life in a vacuum such as space. I hope I can investigate this subject soon…
Opinion and Recommendation:
This article was very concise and I found it extremely easy to follow along with DeYoung’s train of thought. As a result of his simple manner of speaking, I would recommend this article to any science-lover.
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