If gravity stops us floating off into space then why are we able to jump off the ground?
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Simply put, because it isn’t a strong force. It’s actually relatively weak, which is why we don’t all just crash into each other and why it takes something like a planet to accumulate a meaningful amount of gravitational pull.
So think of it less like a rigid rope or steel bar and more like a rubber band or bungle cord.
The more force you apply, the stronger the tension between you and the item gets until you reach a point, “snap” the band, and are free. If you don’t snap the band, it pulls you back in once you stop supplying force.
While gravity doesn’t get “stronger” the further you are from the planet, it does accellerate you toward the planet the longer you are not connected to it with your feet. The longer you have to fall, the more accekleration you need to keep accellerating against the opposing accelleration of gravity.
This is why it is usually referred to as a “gravity well.” You can imagine it as a heavy ball on a foam bed. If you roll a marble near the heavy ball, it has a chance to fall into the pit the ball makes in the bed. This is similar to the function if gravity!
This is also why we need a TON of fuel to make it to space. It’s basically an uphill drive the whole way, so it takes a lot if energy to get over the hill and finally be out if the “well.”
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