Final answer:
The gravity model assesses potential interactions in a network by evaluating the attractiveness and distance between points within an area. It is relevant in geographical and urban planning contexts, demonstrated by Hotelling's model, Weber's Least Cost Location Model, and the Multiple Nuclei Model.
Step-by-step explanation:
A gravity model provides an estimate of the interaction opportunities available to a center in a multicentered network by summing the interaction attractiveness and distance relationships between all points of potential interaction within an area.
This concept is integral to various geographical and urban planning theories, which analyze how location, distance, and costs affect the interaction and economics of cities. Key models that reflect these principles include Harold Hotelling's model which discusses retail agglomeration based on customer behavior, Alfred Weber's Least Cost Location Model which focuses on minimizing transportation costs in manufacturing, and the Multiple Nuclei Model which explains the emergence of secondary business districts and residential patterns in rapidly growing automobile-centric cities.
These models help planners and economists predict where businesses and industries will be located, how cities will expand, and the patterns of consumer behavior. They underline the importance of transportation costs, agglomeration benefits, and the stratification of urban land use.