Condensed Matter Seminar - Pavol Valko (14.5.2026)
Thursday 14.5.2026 at 14:00, Lecture room F1 108
doc. RNDr. Pavol Valko, CSc. (Institute of Nuclear and Physical Engineering, FEI STU Bratislava):
Newton's Gravitational Constant, from Pendulums to Satellites
Abstract:
Newton's gravitational constant is a fundamental parameter governing gravitational interactions across all length scales, from laboratory systems to cosmological structures, and it indirectly constrains the chemical composition of matter. In the first part of the seminar, I will briefly review the principal experimental approaches and key measurements that have been used to determine its value. I will then discuss the currently accepted values of the gravitational constant and their associated uncertainties, with emphasis on the fundamental limits of measurement accuracy. Particular attention will be given to the role of noise and systematic effects inherent to absolute measurement techniques, which are unavoidable in determinations of this constant. Finally, I will present selected results from my own experimental efforts in this area and outline possible directions for future investigations.
This work was not supported by any public science funding programme.