Newton's universal theory of gravitation states that every point mass attracts every other point mass in the universe with a force that is directly proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers. This can be mathematically expressed as:
\[ F = G \frac{{m_1 m_2}}{{r^2}} \]
Where:
- \( F \) is the gravitational force between the two masses,
- \( G \) is the gravitational constant,
- \( m_1 \) and \( m_2 \) are the masses of the objects, and
- \( r \) is the distance between the centers of the two masses.
This theory implies that gravitational attraction is a universal force that acts over a distance and provides a framework for understanding the motion of celestial bodies, such as planets and moons, as well as objects on Earth. Newton's laws revolutionized our understanding of gravity and laid the groundwork for classical mechanics.