Earth and moon both exert gravitational forces. Why haven't they crashed into each other?

Answer 1

The moon is constantly falling to Earth. However, it has enough velocity at an oblique angle that it is also constantly missing.

If it were moving faster, it would further away. If it was moving more slowly it would come closer.

Having just the right amount of oblique velocity to maintain a constant altitude is what we refer to as being in orbit.

It's worth noting that the moon actually is moving a tiny bit faster than it needs to for maintaining it's current orbit, so it is slowly moving away from us at the slow slow slow pace of 3.8 centimeters per year. So collision is not ever going to be a concern. Millions of years from now the big concern will be that it is too far away and our tides will fade.

Answer 2

because the earth is what keeps the moon revolving around earth. The earth gives a gravitational force to the moon so it orbits around the earth. causing it to never interfere or crash.

Answer 3

We believe that the moon was part of the Earth that had broken off. Although that mass could not go out into space because of Earths force kept it from leaving. But instead of running into the Earth the two forces balance each other out.

Answer 4

When you tie a string to a tennis ball and swing it over your head, there is a constant tension in the string that pulls it towards your hand. Why doesn't the tension in the string cause the tennis ball to crash into your hand? Same reason as for the Earth and Moon: initial oblique velocity.

Answer 5

So do you and your yo-yo. Spin. What happens to your yo-yo? The moon's motion around the earth counters the gravity
as the earth's does to the sun's pull. We're lucky they don't
rotate faster then they do...

Answer 6

because the gravitational forces are countered by "inertial forces." remember all objects tend to move in a uniform, straight line.