How does a mass experience work in a gravitational field?

A mass experiences a force in a gravitational field, causing it to accelerate towards the source of the field.

In a gravitational field, a mass experiences a force that is proportional to its own mass and the mass of the object creating the field. This force is described by Newton's law of universal gravitation, which states that every particle of matter in the universe attracts every other particle with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centres.

The force experienced by a mass in a gravitational field is what causes it to accelerate towards the source of the field. This acceleration is constant and is known as the acceleration due to gravity. On Earth, this acceleration is approximately 9.81 m/s². This means that, in the absence of other forces, an object will increase its speed by 9.81 m/s every second it is falling.

The direction of the force and acceleration is always towards the source of the gravitational field. This is why objects fall downwards towards the Earth, and why the planets orbit around the Sun. The force of gravity is always attractive, never repulsive.

The strength of a gravitational field is determined by the mass of the object creating the field and the distance from the object. The field is stronger closer to the object and weaker further away. This is why the force of gravity you feel is much stronger on the surface of the Earth than it is when you are in space.

In conclusion, a mass experiences a force in a gravitational field that causes it to accelerate towards the source of the field. The strength of this force is determined by the mass of the object creating the field and the distance from the object.