Definition:Universal Gravitational Constant/Historical Note
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Historical Note on Universal Gravitational Constant
When Isaac Newton formulated his Law of Universal Gravitation, he did not know, and had no immediate means to determine, what the universal gravitational constant $G$ actually is.
The value of $G$ was determined in $1789$ by Henry Cavendish in what is now known as the Cavendish experiment.
Sources
- 1966: Isaac Asimov: Understanding Physics ... (previous) ... (next): $\text {I}$: Motion, Sound and Heat: Chapter $4$: Gravitation: The Gravitational Constant
- 1992: George F. Simmons: Calculus Gems ... (previous) ... (next): Chapter $\text {B}.25$: Kepler's Laws and Newton's Law of Gravitation: Problem $1$