gravity wells
Mass curves spacetime
A gravity well is the curved region of spacetime around a massive object like a planet or star, where objects must expend energy to escape.
The term visualizes gravity as a depression or funnel shape—the more massive the object, the deeper the well.
Used literally in astrophysics and commonly in science fiction: The ship struggled to climb out of the planet's gravity well.
Figuratively, anything that pulls you in and is hard to escape: Social media is a gravity well for attention.
- space-timeFused dimensional framework
- tidal forcesDifferential gravitational pull across bodies
- orbitsCurved paths around bodies
- massQuantity of matter
- neutron starUltradense stellar remnant
black hole · quasars · Schwarzschild radius · escape velocity · geodesics · spacetime curvature · Hohmann transfer · slingshot maneuver · general relativity · event horizon · singularities · no escape · falling in · supermassive black hole · astrophysics · delta-v · orbital mechanics · sci-fi
- science museumsscience exhibits, exhibits, interactive displays, displays, demonstrations
- relativityrelativity, spacetime, general relativity, relativity theory, time dilation
- cosmic matterstars, galaxies, dark matter, planets, cosmic dust
- space hazardsasteroids, comets, meteors, meteorites, solar flares
- natural wondersnorthern lights, aurora borealis, auroras, rainbows, Great Barrier Reef
- cosmologybig bang, Big Bang, big bang theory, universe, dark matter
gravity, well, wells, gravities, gravitational, gravitationally, gravitate, gravitated, gravitates