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6 answers

The moon's orbit is in a balance between centrifugal force (outward motion) and gravitation (inward force toward the earth).

2006-11-02 00:27:19 · answer #1 · answered by ursaitaliano70 7 · 0 0

I guess it's because it's constantly in motion -- in orbit around the earth, to be precise -- and this prevents it from making a beeline for us.

I guess the sun's gravity has something to do with that, also.

In addition, the moon has mass, which means it too has its own gravitational pull. That's why the Apollo astronauts were sort of "bouncing" on it instead of just floating right off.

The moon's gravity has a pull about one-sixth that of the earth's.

2006-10-31 22:53:11 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

Because Moon has kinetic energy. Imagine the Moon was travelling in a straight line before it came nearer to Earth and suppose the Earth was not on the path of the Moon.Surely The Earth must attract the Moon while it is flying away so that its course bends a little towards the side of the Earth, since it was not heading the Earth. Again it would try to fly away staraight ( due to inertia of motion of course) But the Earth would continue to pull it and bend its course a little. The process goes on and on and the Moon goes round and round the Earth; so to say, the Earth captures the moon and it is not able to escape.But it does not fall into the Earth as it constantly wrestles to fly away. Had it a little more velocity in the begining, or kinetic energy , to be more correct, it would have once bent around the Earth and flied away, never to be seen again ! This happens with comets who are seen once , bend around the Sun and get off for ever. Physicists, or Mathematicians or Astronomers say that the potential energy of somebody increases as it approches the Earth pulled by its gravitation. Potential means it has got some energy stored in it for automatically falling into the Earth, as if someone has raised it with effort from the ground to its present level. This potential energy is negative by convention as the (gravitational) field does the work while falling. In addition the Moon Kas kinetic energy in itself by virtue of its high velocity before it came near the Earth. If the net energy is negative, it would be bound in an closed orbit inorder to revolve around the Earth. If the net (Total) energy is zero, it would just turn around the Earth and fly off. Had the force of the Earth been a repulsive force, the Moon would have definitely flied off in the oppositedirection instead of bending around the Earth, as if it would have collided with an invisible concentric sphere around the Earth. Here both the energies, potential energy due to force of repulsion and kinetic energy of the moon would have been positive. Such is the situation when a thin gold foil is bombarded by a streem of alpha- particles. Thus was nucleus of atom discovered.
One more word. When the Moon is steadily revo;ving around the Earth, we can say, it is continuously falling into the earth; while trying to fly away, of course.
Now, imagine, you are inside a satellite, with your table,pencil, book and your french fries. All the members in the list as satellites as well as the capsule they arein, including yourself; and they go around the earth in the same velocity as that of the satellite. If you put your pencil a little higher and leave it there, it won't fall; for, by the time it moved, all in its environment have also moved by that amount. This gives a feeling of weightlessness. You can swim in the air inside the satellite. Ain't it fun ?.


Have a nice time

nyn_3@yahoo.com

2006-10-31 23:57:58 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

Constant velocity. That is the key. It was ejected from the Earth and went out so far. I believe the Moon is made from the Volcanic Matter spewed into Space before we formed our atmosphere, the Moon formed approx. same time as the air we breathe. It is a collection of Dust and Rock that formed a sphere naturally as it rotated as a "ring" like Saturn's ring, within a zero gravitational state as it was Large mass, it is out farther than satellites, but maintains orbit.

2006-10-31 23:04:34 · answer #4 · answered by Boliver Bumgut 4 · 0 0

There's a place in between where the gravity is zero (Orbit). That's why satellites are placed on orbits, so they won't either vome down or go up towards moon.

2006-10-31 22:45:54 · answer #5 · answered by Erosh 2 · 0 0

Ya, how come darn it

2006-10-31 23:52:44 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

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