vetovoima

Vetovoima is the force that causes two bodies to move toward one another. In physics it is an interaction that draws matter toward other matter and is represented as a vector quantity directed along the line connecting the centers of the two objects. The term comes from Finnish compounds vet- meaning “to pull” and voima meaning “force.” In everyday language it is also used metaphorically to describe the “pull” or attractiveness of a person, brand, or idea.

Gravitational attraction is the best-known vetovoima. According to Newton’s law of gravitation, the magnitude of the gravitational force between two masses m1 and m2 separated by distance r is F = G m1 m2 / r^2, directed along the line joining the masses. On Earth, this force is experienced as weight, F = m g, with g about 9.81 m/s^2 near the surface, governing orbits, tides and the structure of planetary systems.

Electrostatic attraction is another fundamental vetovoima: opposite electric charges exert an attractive force given by F = k |q1 q2| / r^2, again along the line between charges. Magnetic attraction occurs between magnetic poles or magnets and depends on orientation and distance, forming part of the broader magnetostatic forces.

See also: gravity, Coulomb’s law, magnetism, forces and Newton’s laws.