gravitational field

noun

, Physics.

1. the attractive effect, considered as extending throughout space, of matter on other matter.
2. the region surrounding an astronomical body in which the force of gravitation is strong.

gravitational field

noun

1. the field of force surrounding a body of finite mass in which another body would experience an attractive force that is proportional to the product of the masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them

Word History and Origins

Origin of gravitational field¹

First recorded in 1915–20

Example Sentences

Being in such close quarters with the sun also means that 2021 PH27 really feels the effects of our star’s massive gravitational field.

From Popular-Science

Observations of that gold sphere tugging on another similarly sized sphere confirm that gravity behaves as expected even for extremely weak gravitational fields, physicists report in the March 11 Nature.

From Science News

NASA’s Juno spacecraft has been orbiting Jupiter since July 2016, providing our best data yet about the Jovian atmosphere, gravitational field, magnetic field, and geology.

From MIT Technology Review

However, the problem of three bodies—he had in mind the earth, sun, and moon moving in their mutual gravitational fields—gave him headaches.

From Nautilus

Europa is constantly squeezed and stretched by the competing gravitational fields of Jupiter and the other Galilean moons, a process known as tidal flexing.

From Singularity Hub 

But the probes map the gravitational field along North-South line, which makes the data look stripy.

From The Daily Beast

According to Boyle, a non-luminous and non-reflecting asteroid has crashed into the earth's gravitational field.

From Project Gutenberg

As the intensity of the gravitational field decreased, the velocity of the ship increased—not linearly, but logarithmically.

From Project Gutenberg

"To move around near a heavy mass—in the presence of a strong gravitational field," Arcot said.

From Project Gutenberg

You know that a gravitational field bends light; the light of a star is deflected in passing the sun.

From Project Gutenberg

The electromagnetic theory has to be modified to allow for the presence of a gravitational field.

From Project Gutenberg