How do moons stay in orbit around Jupiter?

Answer 1

A moon orbiting a planet is like spinning a weight on the end of a string. Centrifugal force tends to pull the weight outward but the force on the strng keeps that from happening. By definition an orbit is where centrifugal force and gravity balance each other. Centrifugal force is proportional to v^2 /r and gravity is proportional to 1/ r^2. You can solve the actual equations to find the orbital velocity for any radius (distance from the planet's center) . Jupiter's moons are stable and orbiting at the required velocity. Over time, orbits will tend to decay meaning the moon moves more slowly an also moves farthewr away form the planet.

Answer 2

First I assume you know that Jupiter like all things in space creates a dip in the space time continuum. The moons have enough velocity to stay stable in the space time dimple created by Jupiter's mass. If they were to move slower the would be pulled down the sides of the dimple and crash into Jupiter and if they were moving faster they could escape the dimple and move into open space. However no orbit is truly stable because even our moon moves away from the Earth at a rate of about 1 foot per year.

Answer 3

The same way our moon stays in orbit around the Earth. Gravity. ie the gravitational pull of Jupiter keeps its moons in orbit.

Answer 4

There is the acceleration of gravity trying to pull them down into Jupiter while their tangential acceleration attempts to pull them away. These forcese are balanced.

You can picture yourself swinging a weight around on a rope in circles (like a shotput). You are pulling in on that weight but if you let go or the rope broke the weight would go flying off to the side (that'd be like if you could instantly turn off the gravity of Jupiter, the moons would hook around and fly away). So if there was too much gravity they would spiral into the planet, and if there was too much tangential velocity they would swing, perhaps, close to the planet and then escape.

They manage to stay moons and not rings because they are outside of the Roche radius.

Answer 5

Moon's stay in orbit around Jupiter due to gravitational force of Jupiter and execute their orbits as per Kepler"s laws of planetary motion.

Answer 6

Basically gravity, although there is a far amount of interactions between the moons and the smaller ones do swap over some times. If the orbit weren't stable they would have decayed by now.

Answer 7

Gravity, same as anything else. For a stable orbit, I don't think it can be too close or too far away. Io, one of Jupiter's closest moons, is gravitationally stretched and flexed, tormenting the surface and making it the most volanically active location in the solar system.

Answer 8

The gravity and the force of the atomsphere together make a circle, like a wire, where the planets stay around and revole around Jupiter.

Answer 9

the moons stay in orbit thought a gravity force like us on earth

Answer 10

The same way earth remains in orbit around the sun - exactly. See Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion.