Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Determination of the gravitational constant G

  • Review Article
  • Published:
Frontiers of Physics in China Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A precise knowledge of the Newtonian gravitational constant G has an important role in physics and is of considerable meteorological interest. Although G was the first physical constant to be introduced and measured in the history of science, it is still the least precisely determined of all the fundamental constants of nature. The 2002 CODATA recommended value for G, G = (6.6742 ± 0.0010) × 10−11m3 · kg−1 · s−2, has an uncertainty of 150 parts per million (ppm), much larger than that of all other fundamental constants. Reviewed here is the status of our knowledge of the absolute value of G, methods for determining G, and recent high precision experiments for determining G.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Cavendish H., Phil. Trans. R. Soc. 1798, 88: 467

    Google Scholar 

  2. Chen Y. T. and Cook A. H., Gravitational Experiments in the Laboratory, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1993

    Google Scholar 

  3. Kolosnitsyn N. I., Meas. Tech, 1992, 35: 1443

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Schwarz J. P., Robertson D. S., Niebauer T. M. and Faller J. E., Science, 1998, 282: 2230

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  5. Gillies G.T., Rep. Prog. Phys., 1997, 60: 151

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. Boys C. V., Phil. Trans. R. Soc. A, 1895, 186: 1

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Braun C., Denkschritten der K. Akad, D. Wiss Math. U. Naturwiss, 1897, 64: 187

    Google Scholar 

  8. Heyl P. R., J. Res. NBS, 1930, 5: 1243

    Google Scholar 

  9. Heyl P. R. and Chrzanowski, P., J. Res. NBS, 1942, 29: 1

    Google Scholar 

  10. Cohen E. R. and Taylor B. N., Rev. Mod. Phys., 1987, 59: 1121

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  11. Luther G. G. and Towler W. R., Phys. Rev. Lett., 1982, 49: 121

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. Michaelis W., Haars H. and Augustin R., Metrologia, 1995, 32: 267

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. Fizgerald M. P. and Armstrong T. R., IEEE Trans. Instrum. Meas., 1995, 44: 494

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  14. Walesch H., Meyer H., Piel H. and Schurr J., IEEE Trans. Instrum. Meas., 1995, 44: 491

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Karagioz O. V. and Izmailov V. P., Meas. Techniques, 1996, 39: 979

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Karagioz O. V., Izmaylov V. P. and Gillies G.T., Grav. Cosmol., 1998, 4: 239

    MATH  ADS  Google Scholar 

  17. Bagley C. H. and Luther G. G., Phys. Rev. Lett., 1997, 78: 3047

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  18. Schurr J., Notting F. and Kunding W., Phys. Rev. Lett., 1998, 80: 1142

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  19. Luo J., Hu Z.K., Fu X.H., Fan S.H. and Tang M.X., Phys. Rev. D, 1999, 59: 042001

    Google Scholar 

  20. Mohr P. J. and Taylor B. N., Rev. Mod. Phys., 2000, 72: 351

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  21. Mohr P. J. and Taylor B. N., Rev. Mod. Phys., 2005, 77: 1

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  22. Gundlach J. H. and Merkowitz S. M., Phys. Rev. Lett., 2000, 85: 2869

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  23. Quinn T. J., Speake C. C., Richman S. J., Davis R. S. and Picard A., Phys. Rev. Lett., 2001, 87: 111101

    Google Scholar 

  24. Schlamminger S., Holzschuh E. and Kündig W., Phys. Rev. Lett., 2002, 89: 161102

    Google Scholar 

  25. Armstrong T. R. and Fitzgerald M. P., Phys. Rev. Lett., 2003, 91: 201101

    Google Scholar 

  26. Speake C. C. and Gillies G.T. Z. Naturf. A, 1978, 42: 663

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  27. Luo J. and Hu Z. K, Class. Quantum Grav., 2000, 17: 2351

    Article  MATH  ADS  Google Scholar 

  28. Poynting J. H., Proc. Birm. Phil. Soc., 1894, 9: 1

    Google Scholar 

  29. Mackenzie A. S., The Laws of Gravitation: Memoires by Sir Isaac Newton, Pierre Bouguer and Henry Cavendish Together with Abstracts of other Important Memoires, New York: American Book Company, 1900

    Google Scholar 

  30. de Boer H., Experiments relating to the graviatational constant Proc. Ind. Precision Measurement Conf. (Gaitherssburg) (NBS Special Publ. no 617) ed Taylor B.N. and Phillipps W.D. (Washington, DC: Dept of Commerce) 1981, pp 561–72

    Google Scholar 

  31. Gillies G.T., Metrologia, 1987, 24: 1

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  32. Sanders A. J. and Gillies G. T., Riv. Nuovo Cimento, 1996, 19: 1

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  33. Nobili A. M., FPAG scientific assessment of NEWTON proposal, 1993

  34. Sanders A. J. and Deeds W. E., Phys. Rev. D, 1992, 46: 489

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  35. Blaser J. P. et al., STEP-statellite test of the equivalence principle: report on the phase A study ESA/NASA report SCI, 1993, 4: 56

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  36. Fizgerald M. P. and Armstrong T. R., Meas. Sci. Technol., 1999, 10: 439

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  37. de Boer H., Haars H. and Michaelis W., Metrologia, 1987, 24: 171

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  38. Reich F., Neue Versuche mit der Drehwaage. Abh. Konigl. Ges. wiss. Matnaturwiss, 1852,. 234: 219

    Google Scholar 

  39. Beams J. W., Kuhlthau A.R., Lowry R. A., and Parker H. M., Bull. Am. Phys. Soc., 1965, 10: 249

    Google Scholar 

  40. Rose R. D., Parker H. M., Lowry R. A., and Kuhlthau A. R., Phys. Rev. Lett., 1969, 23: 655

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  41. Speake C. C. and Gillies G. T., Proc. R. Soc. London A 1987, 414: 315

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  42. Richaz F. and Krigar-Menzel O., Anhang zu den Abhandlung, 1898

  43. McGuirk J.M., Foster G.T., Fixler J.B., Snadden M.J. and Kasevich M.A., Phys. Rev. A, 2002, 65: 033608

    Google Scholar 

  44. Fattori, M., Lamporesi, G., Petelski, T., Stuhler, J. & Tino, G. M. Phys. Lett. A, 2003, 318: 184

    Article  MATH  ADS  Google Scholar 

  45. Schurr J., Klein N., Meyer H., Piel H. and Walesch H., Metrologia, 1991, 28: 397

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  46. Kleinevoß U., Meyer H., Schumacher A. and Hartmann S., Meas. Sci. Technol., 1999, 10: 492

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  47. Gundlach J.H., Adelberger E. G., Hecked B. R. and Swanson H. E., Phys. Rev. D, 1996, 54: R1256

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  48. Gundlach J. H., Meas. Sci. Technol., 1999, 10: 454

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  49. Hu Z. K., Guo J.Q. and. Luo J, Phys. Rev. D, 2005, 71: 127505

  50. Hu, Z. K., Luo J. and Hsu H., Phys. Lett. A, 1999, 264: 112

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  51. Luo J., Hu Z. K. and Hsu H., Rev.Sci.Instrum., 2000, 71: 1524

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China

    Hu Zhong-kun, Liu Qi & Luo Jun

Authors
  1. Hu Zhong-kun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Liu Qi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Luo Jun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Luo Jun.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hu, Zk., Liu, Q. & Luo, J. Determination of the gravitational constant G . Front. Phys. China 1, 449–457 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11467-006-0039-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11467-006-0039-3

Keywords

PACS numbers

Search

Navigation