Inverse-square law

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In physics, an inverse-square law is any law that states that some quantity is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from some point.

Examples

  • Isaac Newton's law of universal gravitation states the the gravitational attraction between any two massive objects is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.
  • Coulomb's Law states that the attractive (in the case of opposite charges) or repulsive (in the case of like charges) force between any two electrically charged objects is directly proportional to the product of the charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them.
  • The intesity of light diverging from a point source is inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the source.
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