Why doesn't the gravity pull the moon down to earth like an apple?

Answer 1

Because the moon, like every other object in an orbit, is moving horizontally at the same rate it is falling so it moves in a circular path around the earth.
And don't pay attention to what is said above, there is gravity in space. Every particle in the universe attracts every other particle in the universe -via the force of gravity- even if said particles are in space.

Answer 2

Because the Earth is not the only body in the solar system that has gravity. All the planets do, as does the sun, which is what keeps the planets in orbit around it. The moon has gravity as well. The forces of the different gravities keep all of the physical bodies in orbit as they are. Also, remember that a "body in motion will be most likely to continue in motion", so...when the Earth pulled the moon into orbit around it, and the Moon stays in orbit because of the tension between it, the sun, the Earth, and the other planets, etc. That is why there is "orbit" the elliptical quasi circle that planets follow. Think of it as if the moon were moving in a straight line, which is what its natural tendency would be. Then, at some point, it gets pulled by the earth's gravity back toward the earth...therefore the ellipse, and not a circle, or some other path.

Answer 3

If you drop an apple, it falls straight to the ground.

If you throw an apple with lateral velocity (like a baseball), it travels some distance away (say 100 feet) before gravity brings it crashing to the ground.

The moon is like a big apple with a huuuuge lateral velocity. Yes, gravity is working to bring it down, but by the time the moon has "fallen" to "ground level", it's traveled so far laterally that it's gone past the earth.

At that point, the earth's gravity is pulling the moon towards the new "down" direction - straight towards the earth - and the process repeats itself.

In effect, the moon is constantly falling towards the earth, but it keeps missing!

Answer 4

earth is pulling moon towards its center in the same way it pulls an apple but moon does not hit the earth because moon,unlike apple, has the tangential velocity so it always try to fly tangentially away from the earth but due to the force of gravity earth tries to pull moon straight towards the center. so the resultant force make the moon revolve in its orbit. In fact the moon is falling toward the earth but it is unable to hit the earth due to its tangential velocity.
(if you throw an apple horizontally with required orbital velocity then it will never hit the earth though it is falling around, but it will revolve the earth)

Answer 5

great question! The lacking piece of the puzzle you provided is Newton's known Gravity Equation F = GMm/R². Written out that's the gravitational tension between 2 products is comparable to the gravitation consistent situations the mass of one merchandise, time the mass of the different merchandise, all divided by technique of the area between them squared. be conscious that G is G = 6.sixty seven*10-11 N-m²/kg². to remedy for this subject, you have an interest interior the factor the place the strain exerted on "you" (with a bit of luck wearing an area healthful), is equivalent from the two the earth and the moon. previous that the moon will pull you in. provided that this could nicely be a state the place F1=F2, we are in a position to write GM1m/R1^2=GM2m/R2^2. The little m is "you" and G is the same so we are in a position to divide those out of the equation and get M1/R1^2=M2/R2^2, the place M1 and R1 are the mass of the earth and distance from the earth and M2 and R2 are the mass of the moon and distance from the moon. you will detect M1 and M2. We nonetheless have 2 unknowns and basically one equation. to remedy for one unknown, we use the discern you reported, that the area from earth to moon is 385,000 km and replace R2 with (385,000-R1). This leaves us with 5.9742×10^24kg/R1^2= 7.36×10^22kg/(385,000-R1)^2 One equation, one unknown, R1 this is the top above the earth the place the forces from moon and earth are equivalent! wish this helped you out.

Answer 6

well newtons laws say that with every force there is an opposing force. so even when an apple falls to earth there is an upward force in theopposite direction, however the apple is not massive enough to affect the gravity's pull. But the moon is much more massive and pulls on the earth more than say an apple pulls on the earth. the equation is
F= G (m1m2)/ d^2
F= force
G= gravitational constant
m1= mass 1
m2 = mass 2
d= distance
(m1 times m2 divided by d squared)

Answer 7

The moon is traveling around the earth at a fast enough rate at a high enough altitude to stay in orbit without going down.

Answer 8

Hi. It does. But the Moon is moving so as it falls, it moves to the side.

Answer 9

Because gravity is what is keeping it in a stable orbit.