Final answer:
The correct statement about gravitational force is that it always pulls objects towards the center of mass and is an attractive force. It operates according to Newton's universal law of gravitation and, despite its relative weakness, it is the primary force on astronomical scales and affects space and time.
Step-by-step explanation:
The accurate statement about the gravitational force is that it always pulls objects towards the center of mass and it is an attractive force. Gravity is a fundamental interaction in physics, ensuring that all objects with mass are attracted to each other. According to Newton's universal law of gravitation, gravitational force is directly proportional to the product of the masses involved and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them. This law explains not only daily observations like a ball falling to the ground but also the motion of celestial bodies such as planets and stars.
Despite its universal presence, gravitational force is actually the weakest of the fundamental forces in nature. It is, however, the dominant force on astronomical scales and even affects the curvature of space and flow of time in the vicinity of massive bodies like stars, as described in the theory of general relativity. On Earth, gravitational force manifests as the weight we feel and it allows our planet to stay in orbit around the Sun.