gravitationally

Gravitationally is an adverb used in science to describe actions or properties that are related to gravity, the force of attraction between masses. It is formed from the adjective gravitational plus the adverbial suffix -ly, and is common in physics writing to specify that gravity, rather than other forces, is responsible for a given effect.

Examples include gravitationally bound systems (such as planets in a solar system), gravitationally accelerated motion, gravitationally redshifted light, and gravitationally lensed images. In each case, the term signals that the gravitational interaction is the dominant cause.

Gravitationally is distinct from purely mechanical or inertial descriptions; while many phenomena can be described with Newtonian gravity, relativistic contexts describe gravity as curvature of spacetime, but the adverb remains appropriate to indicate gravity's role. In discussions of gravitational waves, one might say the waves are emitted and propagate gravitationally through spacetime.

See also gravity, gravitational force, gravitational lensing, gravitational redshift, gravitational waves.