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2007-12-30 12:29:48 · 7 answers · asked by Richard M 2 in Science & Mathematics Astronomy & Space

the moon drifts 1 inch every year. and there is a balance of gravitational force and centrifugal force. as it gets farther it also loses gravitational force so it's a compounding factor.

2007-12-30 12:46:18 · update #1

7 answers

In the natural evolution of the Solar System, this will never happen. The Moon will move further from the Earth than its current position, because the action of the tides causes the angular momentum of the Earth's rotation to be gradually transferred to the Moon's orbit, resulting in a greater distance between the bodies. However, this would only continue until the Earth's period of rotation matched the Moon's orbital period, which will take upwards of ten billion years. The planet and satellite will then orbit face-to-face (like Pluto and Charon), if the Sun's red giant phase hasn't swallowed both bodies. But the gravitational bond between them will not be broken.

2007-12-30 12:33:00 · answer #1 · answered by DavidK93 7 · 3 0

Gravitation on the moon is a direct result of its mass.
If you mean when will the moon no longer be gravitationally bound to the Earth, the answer is never.

The moon recedes from Earth to conserve momentum in the Earth/Moon system. The effect of the tides on the Earth and the friction of the tides with the solid material of the Earth is causing the Earth's rotation to slow down.

This tidal effect would continue until the rotational period of the Earth matched the orbital period of the Moon. At that time, the Moon would always be overhead of a single fixed place on Earth.
However, this isn't happening fast enough for the rotation to lengthen before other things make it irrelevant.
About 2.1 billion years from now, the continual increase of the Sun's radiation will cause the Earth's oceans to boil away, removing the bulk of the tidal friction and acceleration. Even without this, the slowdown to a month-long day would still not have been completed by 4.5 billion years from now when the Sun will evolve into a red giant and likely destroy both the Earth and Moon.

2007-12-30 15:13:21 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

The moon is a real enigma. that is barely far sufficient away, and purely the ideal length, to reason an entire image voltaic eclipse. the same face of the moon is often dealing with the earth; it does not rotate. now and lower back it turns slightly in one direction, then it turns lower back to its unique place. there have been cave artwork got here across depicting the advent of the moon. Measuring gadgets sent there by capacity of NASA got here across that the moon replaced into nevertheless resonating following a prior hit by capacity of an merchandise. A diamond drill as quickly as used on the moon replaced into blunted earlier it even dented the moon's floor. the size of the moon, with its predicted mass, does not have the means to hold the orbit that it does, it may be 'far' too heavy! between the Appollo missions, i think of it replaced into thirteen, replaced into definitely intercepted by capacity of an merchandise 'fired' from the moon. in case you watch the movie, they even say that mnuch. The moon is definitely an enigma.

2016-12-18 12:50:19 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0 0

It won't happen. The moon's orbit is enlarging at the rate of a few inches per century, and it will take millions of years for it to be noticeable. In the meantime, the sun will expand into a red giant and destroy both the earth and the moon.

2007-12-30 12:42:45 · answer #4 · answered by aviophage 7 · 0 0

the Earth's oceans have survived billions of years and likely will survive billions more.

lets see what happens when the Andromeda Galaxy drops in 2.5 billion years from now. By then the Moon's orbit will be a bit over 10% larger.

2007-12-30 13:42:55 · answer #5 · answered by Faesson 7 · 0 0

in 50 billion years the moon will escape earths gravity, that means the moon will be here longer then the sun.

2007-12-31 00:58:56 · answer #6 · answered by Tony 2 · 0 0

In millions of years

2007-12-30 12:45:26 · answer #7 · answered by Asker 6 · 0 0

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