Gravity

Description

The fundamental force of nature you feel every time you spill milk or do an awkward cartwheel is the same force that keeps the planets in orbit.

Gravity makes things fall because the earth is pulling them toward itself. Gravity pulls objects toward other massive objects. You can see this most clearly in the way a large, heavy object like the sun keeps the earth in its orbit. Even the moon is heavy enough to make some waves—its gravity pulls on our oceans to create tides.

Gravity feels strong when you’re trying to catch a vase before it hits the ground, but it’s actually the weakest of the four fundamental forces. Other forces, like electromagnetism, overrule it. If your cartwheels are usually pretty impressive, that means other forces are balancing out the pull of gravity. This balance also explains why the earth doesn’t end up crashing into the sun.