Gravitational field

A vector field that assigns gravitational force per unit mass to every point in space. Its direction is the direction a freely falling test mass accelerates.

Gravitational field strength: Gravitational force per unit mass at a point, measured in newtons per kilogram or equivalent metres per second squared. This is the field’s vector value at each point.
Vector field: A mathematical assignment of a vector to every point in a region of space. A gravitational field is one physical example of this broader mathematical structure.
Orbital mechanics: The study of the motion of spacecraft and natural bodies under gravitational forces. Orbital trajectories follow from the gravitational field along their paths.
Gravitational force: The attractive interaction between masses, described in Newtonian physics as a force. The field expresses force per unit mass rather than the force on one particular body.
Quantum gravity: A theoretical framework seeking to describe gravity using quantum principles. A complete account must reconcile gravitational fields with quantum physics.
Gravitational potential: Gravitational potential energy per unit mass at a point in a gravitational field. Its spatial gradient determines the field’s direction and strength.
Test particle: An idealized particle whose mass is small enough not to alter the system being studied. The field is defined through the force experienced per unit test mass.
Gravimetry: The measurement of gravitational acceleration to investigate Earth’s shape, structure, or changing mass distribution. Local field variations reveal differences in subsurface density and elevation.
Electrostatic field: A vector field giving electric force per unit charge at each point in space. It has the same field structure, but electric sources can attract or repel.
Graviton: A hypothetical quantum particle that would mediate gravitational interactions in some quantum theories. Whether gravity’s field has a particle description remains unresolved.

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