According to the theory of gravitation, the earth must be continually "falling" toward the sun. If this

Question

is true, why does the average distance between the earth and the sun not grow smaller?

Answer 1

Actually, it is now believed that the Earth may be very slowly spiraling into the Sun. But it is very slowly, very, very slowly and so the difference in the distance is so minuscule it is not possible to measure it. But don't worry. By the time the Earth finally reaches the Sun, the Sun will have used up all its fuel and be a dead star, so we won't be around to know what happens.

Answer 2

If the sun was suddenly taken away, the earth would continue in a straight line, assuming there were no other gravitational influences.

That is what is meant by falling into the sun, gravity keeps us in the elliptical orbit. In effect it keeps pulling us towards the sun, which is balanced by the speed that we try to move away from it.

Because the Sun is the earths biggest influence, that average distance remains constant, we effectively have nothing slowing us down. It will change over a long period ot time, but nothing that can be measured in your lifetime.

Answer 3

the speed of the earth keeps it moving around the sun, think of it this way:

the earth moves so fast, that before gravity can pull it toward the sun it moves forward in space.

the resulting curved path is called an ORB IT

the moon and artificial satellites, even the space station, follow this same principle.