Meaning
万有引力 refers to the fundamental force of attraction between all objects with mass in the universe. This is the scientific term for Newton's law of universal gravitation, describing how every particle attracts every other particle. In everyday contexts, it can refer simply to the force of gravity that keeps us on Earth.
Usage
This is a formal scientific term used primarily in physics contexts, textbooks, and academic discussions. In casual conversation, people typically use 重力 (zhòng lì) for 'gravity' when discussing everyday phenomena like falling objects. 万有引力 emphasizes the universal nature of gravitational attraction between all masses.
Examples
- 01牛顿发现了万有引力定律。.Newton discovered the law of universal gravitation.
- 02万有引力使行星围绕太阳运转。.Universal gravitation causes planets to orbit around the sun.
Characters
Common collocations
- 万有引力定律law of universal gravitation
- 万有引力常数gravitational constant
- 受万有引力作用to be affected by universal gravitation
Origin
The term literally means 'ten-thousand-having-attraction-force,' where 万有 (all-existing) conveys the universal scope. This is a modern Chinese translation of Newton's concept, coined when Western physics was introduced to China in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.