Tower Gravity Experiment: Evidence for Non-Newtonian Gravity
Donald H. Eckhardt, Christopher Jekeli, Andrew R. Lazarewicz, Anestis J. Romaides, Roger W. Sands
Abstract
Donald H. Eckhardt, Christopher Jekeli, Andrew R. Lazarewicz, Anestis J. Romaides, Roger W. Sands
Abstract
We tested Newton's inverse-square law of gravitation by comparing gravity measured on a 600-m tower with gravity calculated from ground measurements. A significant departure from the law was detected, approaching (- 500\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}35)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}8}$ ${\mathrm{ms}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$ at the top of the tower and suggestive of a rapidly attenuating non-Newtonian attractive force. These results are marginally consistent with a one-term Yukawa-type attractive force, but they are fully consistent with two Yukawa-type forces, attractive and repulsive, and then also with Airy and Cavendish experiments.
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We tested Newton's inverse-square law of gravitation by comparing gravity measured on a 600-m tower with gravity calculated from ground measurements. A significant departure from the law was detected, approaching (- 500\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}35)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}8}$ ${\mathrm{ms}}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$ at the top of the tower and suggestive of a rapidly attenuating non-Newtonian attractive force. These results are marginally consistent with a one-term Yukawa-type attractive force, but they are fully consistent with two Yukawa-type forces, attractive and repulsive, and then also with Airy and Cavendish experiments.
Key concepts: Yukawa potential, Inverse-square law, Physics, Fifth force, Tower, Newtonian fluid, Newtonian potential, Gravitation