Abstract:
Newton postulated an inverse square law for gravity, yet there are essentially no experimental limits for violations of the inverse square law for distances less than a few millimeters. A growing number of theories predict inverse square law violation at the sub-millimeter range. First results from our group's experiment to test the inverse square law at sub-millimeter distances will be presented. Einstein's theory of general relativity requires that all forms of mass and energy, including gravitational self-energy, fall at the same rate in a gravitational field. Recent measurements of our group, when combined with lunar laser ranging data, provide a test of the gravitational acceleration of gravitational self-energy at the level of one part per thousand. These results will be presented.