What type of mass does a gravitational field typically occur around?

A gravitational field is a region of space surrounding a mass where another mass would experience a force of gravitational attraction. The strength and extent of this field are determined largely by the size of the mass generating it. Large masses, such as planets, stars, and galaxies, create significant gravitational fields due to their substantial quantities of matter.

The gravitational force generated by these large masses is what enables them to attract smaller objects, including satellites, moons, and other celestial bodies. This field decreases with distance from the mass, following the inverse square law, which dictates that the gravitational force becomes weaker as distance increases.

While any mass does indeed generate a gravitational field, it is the larger masses that create fields strong enough to be observable and influential in the motion of objects within their vicinity. Small masses, like dust particles, produce extremely weak fields that do not have any appreciable effect on other masses unless they are in very close proximity. Massless particles, by definition, do not create gravitational fields and therefore cannot be the source of a gravitational field. Hence, the appropriate context here focuses on the significant influence of large masses in generating gravitational fields that are relevant to observable phenomena in physics.