inverse square law
noun
: a statement in physics: a given physical quantity (such as illumination) varies with the distance from the source inversely as the square of the distance
Examples of inverse square law in a Sentence
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Light intensity decreases as a mathematical function called the inverse square law.
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Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Dec. 2024
Originally developed to explain the surprisingly speedy rotations of galaxies without resorting to dark matter, today MOND is a collective term given to theories that assume the force of gravity does not always (as Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein insisted) follow the inverse square law.
—Nola Taylor Tillman, Scientific American, 25 Oct. 2023
This inverse square law, which arises from geometry, is an idealization that strictly applies to nonphysical point masses.
—Quanta Magazine, 5 Dec. 2019
Gravity’s inverse square law also means the reach of gravitational attraction is technically infinite.
—Bill Andrews, Discover Magazine, 18 July 2013
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Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Dec. 2024
Originally developed to explain the surprisingly speedy rotations of galaxies without resorting to dark matter, today MOND is a collective term given to theories that assume the force of gravity does not always (as Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein insisted) follow the inverse square law.
—Nola Taylor Tillman, Scientific American, 25 Oct. 2023
This inverse square law, which arises from geometry, is an idealization that strictly applies to nonphysical point masses.
—Quanta Magazine, 5 Dec. 2019
Gravity’s inverse square law also means the reach of gravitational attraction is technically infinite.
—Bill Andrews, Discover Magazine, 18 July 2013
Cite this Entry
“Inverse square law.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/inverse%20square%20law. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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