Attraction of gravitation

Attraction of gravitation
Attraction At*trac"tion, n. [L. attractio: cf. F. attraction.] 1. (Physics) An invisible power in a body by which it draws anything to itself; the power in nature acting mutually between bodies or ultimate particles, tending to draw them together, or to produce their cohesion or combination, and conversely resisting separation. [1913 Webster]

Note: Attraction is exerted at both sensible and insensible distances, and is variously denominated according to its qualities or phenomena. Under attraction at sensible distances, there are, -- (1.)

{Attraction of gravitation}, which acts at all distances throughout the universe, with a force proportional directly to the product of the masses of the bodies and inversely to the square of their distances apart. (2.)

{Magnetic}, {diamagnetic}, and {electrical attraction}, each of which is limited in its sensible range and is polar in its action, a property dependent on the quality or condition of matter, and not on its quantity. Under attraction at insensible distances, there are, -- (1.)

{Adhesive attraction}, attraction between surfaces of sensible extent, or by the medium of an intervening substance. (2.)

{Cohesive attraction}, attraction between ultimate particles, whether like or unlike, and causing simply an aggregation or a union of those particles, as in the absorption of gases by charcoal, or of oxygen by spongy platinum, or the process of solidification or crystallization. The power in adhesive attraction is strictly the same as that of cohesion. (3.)

{Capillary attraction}, attraction causing a liquid to rise, in capillary tubes or interstices, above its level outside, as in very small glass tubes, or a sponge, or any porous substance, when one end is inserted in the liquid. It is a special case of cohesive attraction. (4.)

{Chemical attraction}, or

{affinity}, that peculiar force which causes elementary atoms, or groups of atoms, to unite to form molecules. [1913 Webster]

2. The act or property of attracting; the effect of the power or operation of attraction. --Newton. [1913 Webster]

3. The power or act of alluring, drawing to, inviting, or engaging; an attractive quality; as, the attraction of beauty or eloquence. [1913 Webster]

4. That which attracts; an attractive object or feature. [1913 Webster]

Syn: Allurement; enticement; charm. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • attraction of gravitation — Gravitation Grav i*ta tion, n. [Cf. F. gravitation. See Gravity.] 1. The act of gravitating. [1913 Webster] 2. (Pysics) That species of attraction or force by which all bodies or particles of matter in the universe tend toward each other; called… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • attraction — [ atraksjɔ̃ ] n. f. • 1638; atration 1265; lat. attractio, de attrahere « tirer à soi » I ♦ Action d attirer; force qui attire. 1 ♦ (1688) Sc. Force qui attire les corps matériels entre eux. ⇒ gravitation. Loi de l attraction universelle (loi de… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Gravitation — Grav i*ta tion, n. [Cf. F. gravitation. See Gravity.] 1. The act of gravitating. [1913 Webster] 2. (Pysics) That species of attraction or force by which all bodies or particles of matter in the universe tend toward each other; called also… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Attraction — At*trac tion, n. [L. attractio: cf. F. attraction.] 1. (Physics) An invisible power in a body by which it draws anything to itself; the power in nature acting mutually between bodies or ultimate particles, tending to draw them together, or to… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Attraction — (Roget s Thesaurus) >Motion towards, actively. < N PARAG:Attraction >N GRP: N 1 Sgm: N 1 attraction attraction attractiveness Sgm: N 1 attractivity attractivity Sgm: N 1 drawing to drawing to pulling towards adduction magnetism gravity …   English dictionary for students

  • gravitation — n. Gravity, centripetal force, attraction of gravitation …   New dictionary of synonyms

  • GRAVITATION - Histoire des idées — La gravité est une propriété inhérente aux masses. Elle se traduit par le phénomène de la chute des corps. Tout corps matériel est donc un «grave» dans la mesure où il est soumis à la pesanteur et dans la mesure où il crée, éventuellement, un… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • gravitation — [ gravitasjɔ̃ ] n. f. • 1717; lat. sc. gravitatio; de gravitas → gravité ♦ Phys., astron. Phénomène par lequel deux corps quelconques s attirent avec une force proportionnelle au produit de leur masse et inversement proportionnelle au carré de… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • GRAVITATION - Gravitation et astrophysique — Si l’on excepte la théorie classique de l’électromagnétisme, introduite bien plus tard par James Clerk Maxwell (1865), aucune théorie physique d’expression aussi simple que la loi du carré inverse de la distance, de Newton (1687), n’a jamais été… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Attraction gravitationnelle — Gravitation « Gravitation » redirige ici. Pour les autres significations, voir Gravitation (homonymie). La gravitation est le phénomène d interaction physique qui cause l attraction réciproque des corps massifs entre eux, sous l effet… …   Wikipédia en Français

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