Since humans are so much bigger than bacteria, and large objects attract small objects, are we attracting bacteria and virus?
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4$\begingroup$ No, that's not how it works. Even if it's technically correct that there is a slight gravitational attraction between humans and germs, the lightest gust of wind would overcome this force. Even the gravitational force between you and your clothes is orders of magnitude stronger than the force between you and some germs (at the same distance). If you are interested in how pathogens spread and enter the body, I am sure the people on biology stack exchange could tell you much more. $\endgroup$– paulinaCommented Jul 27 at 9:59
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2$\begingroup$ I think any static charge on your clothes or you hair would have a much more significant effect. The gravitational effect would be unmeasurable and negligible in the true sense of the word. $\endgroup$– KDPCommented Jul 27 at 11:01
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1$\begingroup$ This is why doctors are always telling patients to lose weight to reduce their gravitational mass. - just kidding :-P The fact that bacteria and viruses are in the air tells us that air currents are more significant than the gravitational attraction of the Earth's mass. No matter how overweight you consider yourself to be, it is nothing compared to the mass of the Earth and that is what you are competing with. $\endgroup$– KDPCommented Jul 27 at 11:17
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1$\begingroup$ Voting to reopen. Totally baffled by close reason - why would anyone believe this is a homework question ?? $\endgroup$– gandalf61Commented Jul 27 at 14:14
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1$\begingroup$ Hi curious onon. Welcome to Phys.SE. Did you try to do a back-of-an-envelope-calculation? $\endgroup$– Qmechanic ♦Commented Jul 27 at 15:42
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... large objects attract small objects ...
Not really. In Newtonian gravity, every object attracts every other object. The size of the attractive force is proportional to the product of the objects' masses (and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them).
The gravitational attraction due to anything smaller than a mountain is insignificantly small and almost impossible to detect even in a laboratory. For a human and a bacteria, the force of gravitational attraction is vastly smaller than the other forces that the bacteria experiences, such as air currents or static electricity. Also, why would your body attract a bacteria more than, say, the building or the tree that you are standing next to (let alone the Earth under your feet).
