gravity
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gravity
The physical force that causes two masses to attract each other. On Earth, it makes objects fall to the ground and have weight.
Auf dem Mond ist die Schwerkraft viel geringer als auf der Erde.
On the Moon, gravity is much weaker than on Earth.
'Schwerkraft' (gravity) is a compound noun made up of 'schwer' (heavy) and 'die Kraft' (force). So it literally describes a 'heavy force' or the force that makes things heavy and pulls them to the ground.
Ohne die Schwerkraft würden wir alle schweben.
Without gravity, we would all float.
Common verbs used in connection with gravity are 'die Schwerkraft überwinden' (to overcome gravity), 'der Schwerkraft trotzen' (to defy gravity), or 'die Schwerkraft spüren' (to feel gravity). People also often talk about the 'Gesetze der Schwerkraft' (laws of gravity).
Raketen müssen die Schwerkraft der Erde überwinden, um ins All zu fliegen.
Rockets have to overcome Earth's gravity in order to fly into space.
Although 'Schwerkraft' (gravity) is a technical term from physics, the word is also used generally in everyday language to describe the Earth's force of attraction.
Der Apfel fällt wegen der Schwerkraft vom Baum.
The apple falls from the tree because of gravity.
mass / crowd
'die Masse' and 'die Schwerkraft' both belong to physics and are related to each other. 'Masse' describes a property of an object: how much matter it has. 'Schwerkraft', on the other hand, is the force through which masses attract each other. On Earth, we notice this force because things fall downward and have weight. Learners may confuse the words because both appear in explanations about weight and planets. A practical way to remember it: an object has mass, but gravity acts on it.
Wegen der Schwerkraft fällt der Ball nach unten.
Because of gravity, the ball falls downward.
Die Masse eines Körpers bleibt gleich, auch wenn er auf dem Mond weniger wiegt.
The mass of an object stays the same, even if it weighs less on the Moon.