Gravity is a fundamental force of nature that attracts objects with mass towards each other. According to Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity, gravity is the result of the curvature of spacetime caused by mass and energy.
The strength of gravity does indeed decrease with distance from an object with mass. This relationship is described by the inverse square law, which states that the gravitational force between two objects decreases as the square of the distance between their centers increases. Mathematically, it can be expressed as:
F = G * (m1 * m2) / r^2
where F is the gravitational force between two objects, G is the gravitational constant, m1 and m2 are the masses of the two objects, and r is the distance between their centers.
As you move farther away from a massive object like a black hole or a star, the gravitational force becomes weaker. However, it never completely disappears, as gravity extends infinitely in space, although its strength diminishes with distance.
To escape the gravitational pull of an object and not return to orbit around it, an object needs to achieve a velocity that allows it to overcome the gravitational force. This velocity is known as the escape velocity. The escape velocity depends on the mass of the object and the distance from its center. It can be calculated using the formula:
Ve = √(2 * G * M / r)
where Ve is the escape velocity, G is the gravitational constant, M is the mass of the object, and r is the distance from its center.
If an object attains a velocity equal to or greater than the escape velocity at a given distance, it will be able to leave the gravitational influence of the object and not return to orbit. The escape velocity increases with decreasing distance from the object, meaning that the closer you are to the massive object, the higher the escape velocity required to overcome its gravitational pull.