2007-12-07 01:43:54 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Gravity
2007-12-07 01:46:33 · answer #1 · answered by Kimon 7 · 4⤊ 4⤋
Mainly inertia and gravity. Inertia causes the moon to keep moving, because an object in motion will stay in motion unless some force acts on it to stop it. Space is a near vacuum so there's basically no friction or anything else to slow the moon down, so the moon just keeps on going. The moon would like to keep moving in a straight line but earth's gravity "warps" the space around us, forcing the moon to follow a curved path. The moon is moving at just the right speed to stay in a roughly circular orbit (it's actually an ellipse). If the moon slowed down, it would crash into earth; if it sped up, it would fly off into space. As someone above mentioned, due to tidal effects the moon is actually speeding up a bit and moving away from us *very* slowly (about 4 cm per year). A few people here mentioned centrifugal force, but this plays no part in keeping the moon in orbit because it's a fictitious force.
2007-12-07 05:09:36 · answer #2 · answered by Nature Boy 6 · 5⤊ 1⤋
you have usually figured this out wisely your self. The Earth is plenty closer to the Moon than is the sunlight, so it has a plenty greater gravitational effect. easily, the Moon DOES orbit the sunlight, in an extremely wobbly line. you may desire to think of of it because of the fact the Moon orbiting the sunlight after which being pushed and pulled by ability of the Earth so as that its direction is nearly a sine wave. the enlargement of the universe is barely proper on the very greatest scales, between galaxies and communities of galaxies. At close variety, gravity is plenty greater powerful. This explains why galaxies often collide with one yet another. even although the universe as an entire is increasing, gravity can pull close galaxies jointly so as that they collide and have interaction.
2016-11-13 23:20:51 · answer #3 · answered by apley 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Gravity.Thats the only thing i know that keep the moon in orbit around earth.
2007-12-07 05:11:26 · answer #4 · answered by ChrisCT 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Gravity, and centrifugal force, just like with any orbital system. Without centrifugal force, the moon would fall into the earth. Without gravity, It would shoot out away from it.
2007-12-07 01:47:14 · answer #5 · answered by Optimus Prime 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Gravity (the Earth's) keeps it from spinning off into space. Centrifugal force keeps it from smashing into the Earth, and inertia keeps it orbiting.
2007-12-07 01:53:48 · answer #6 · answered by Brian M 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Hi. Mutual attractive force of gravity, angular momentum, and the slow transfer of force due to the tides. This speeds up the Moon a tiny bit and its orbit increases due to this.
2007-12-07 01:57:15 · answer #7 · answered by Cirric 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
electromagnetic force of the earth and gravity. but dont you know that every year the moon is orbiting away from earth. and its said that after how many billion years from now it would comepletely be out of earths gravitational force and orbit and dies...
2007-12-07 01:53:30 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 2⤋
Forward motion and the pull of the Earth's gravity are such that the arc that is formed matches the curvature of the Earth's surface.
2007-12-07 05:56:48 · answer #9 · answered by johnandeileen2000 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
We know that the moon rotates around us in a circular path. There's a force acting towards the circmference of this circle and also towards the centre of the circle. As we all know this force is gravity.
2007-12-07 03:29:43 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋