iIs it true that the moon is always falling to earth and the only reason it does not hit earth, is that it moves out of the way on its orbit round the sun
2007-02-06 07:59:38 · 12 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Kind of. The Moon is falling toward Earth but the Moon is also moving "sideways" with respect to the Earth at the same time. The result is an orbit, where the amount it falls just matches the added distance it needs to fall because of its new position to one side of the Earth. It has nothing to do with the Earth's motion around the Sun, only the Moon's motion around the Earth. The same applies to all orbits. The Earth is falling toward the Sun, but keeps missing because if its "sideways" motion relative to the Sun. That is how orbits work and that is why things in orbit are weightless.
2007-02-06 08:05:07 · answer #1 · answered by campbelp2002 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Yes, the moon is 'falling' around the earth, but no, it has nothing to do with the earth orbiting around the sun.
Orbiting bodies fall around each other because their speed is fast enough that as they fall, the surface of the other body curves away from them so they never collide. The moon would orbit the earth in pretty much the same way even if the earth was not also orbiting the sun - we just wouldn't be here to wonder about it.
Since the earth and moon are orbiting each other as they go around the sun, however, their path as seen from 'above' or 'below' in space would have a little over 12 wobbles per year in it as the moon yanked the earth out of what would otherwise be a much smoother ellipse.
2007-02-06 08:11:58 · answer #2 · answered by hznfrst 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
The moon is moving away, as was stated above, but is only doing so to compensate for the slowing of our rotation. A few billion years ago, the earth had an 8 hour long day, and the moon was much much closer than today. Ever since then, the gravitational energy exerted on the Earth from the Moon causes tidal effects, which slow the Earth's rotation, and in turn, allows the moon to slowly creep away.
2007-02-06 11:54:13 · answer #3 · answered by dubsconjr 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is what an orbit is. However the distance between the moon and the earth is increasing each year.
2007-02-06 08:05:27 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
That is a technical definition for all orbits. The Earth is also falling around the sun...and the sun is falling around the Milky Way...etc...etc...etc.
The phrase "moves out of the way" is the only clunky part of your question. Nothing moves out of the way, it's more that the falling object continues to miss its target.
2007-02-06 08:18:44 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
It falls continually but the earth falls away at the same rate so it never gets any closer.
2007-02-06 08:52:59 · answer #6 · answered by Billy Butthead 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the moon isn't falling to earth. its orbiting the planet. in fact the moon is slowly travelling away from the earth. an orbit is when u fall "around" a planet star etc..
2007-02-06 08:07:22 · answer #7 · answered by the saint 2 · 2⤊ 3⤋
Yes, it falls at the rate that it orbits
2007-02-06 08:03:35 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
reality is absolute. It under no circumstances alterations. There are not any gray factors. that is both reality or a lie. because you usually believed some thing does no longer make it reality. Many little children trust in fairies. It would not make it reality only because they believed in them or maybe as they locate out that there is not any such ingredient make it so as that no longer some thing is authentic. although, in our cutting-area day society, reality has been distorted to the variety of degree that many trust there is not any such ingredient as absolute reality.
2016-11-25 20:43:24 · answer #9 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually, the moon is slowly moving away from the earth, at approximately 4 centimeters per year, 4 meters per century.
2007-02-06 08:05:32 · answer #10 · answered by Andrea F 3 · 2⤊ 2⤋