Table of Contents
- 1 Where does the moon get its velocity from?
- 2 Why doesn’t the moon fall towards the earth and smash into it?
- 3 Does the Moon’s velocity change?
- 4 What would happen if we decrease the tangential velocity of the moon?
- 5 How was the Moon formed by a giant impact?
- 6 How does the moon cross the ecliptic twice in one orbit?
Where does the moon get its velocity from?
The Earth’s gravity keeps the Moon orbiting us. It keeps changing the direction of the Moon’s velocity. This means gravity makes the Moon accelerate all the time, even though its speed remains constant.
Why doesn’t the moon fall towards the earth and smash into it?
The moon’s velocity and distance from Earth allow it to make a perfect balance between fall and escape. In case the velocity of rotation of the moon was a little bit faster, it would have escaped the Earth’s Gravity. That’s why the moon doesn’t fall on Earth.
Why doesn’t moon fall down due to Earth’s gravitational pull?
One could ask why the Moon doesn’t fall on Earth as an apple from the tree. The reason is that the Moon is never still. Without the force of gravity from the Earth, it would just float away into space. This mix of velocity and distance from the Earth allows the Moon to always be in balance between fall and escape.
Does the Moon’s velocity change?
As the Moon orbits the Earth its velocity changes continuously. Due to the gravitational effects of the Earth, Sun and other planets the Moon’s orbit is not a true ellipse. The shape of the Moon’s orbit is constantly changing. The Moon is travelling at its fastest when it is at its closest to the Earth.
What would happen if we decrease the tangential velocity of the moon?
Since the path followed by the moon is already elliptical (e=0.00549), the actual affect depends on where the tangential velocity is reduced. If reduced at the apogee, the orbit will become more elliptical but if it is reduced at the perigee, the orbit will become more circular.
What is the condensation theory of the formation of the Moon?
The Condensation Theory: This theory proposes that the Moon and the Earth condensed individually from the nebula that formed the solar system, with the Moon formed in orbit around the Earth. However, if the Moon formed in the vicinity of the Earth it should have nearly the same composition.
How was the Moon formed by a giant impact?
More About The Giant Impactor Theory In the mid-1970s, scientists proposed the giant impact scenario for the formation of the Moon. The idea was that an off-center impact of a roughly Mars-sized body with a young Earth could provide Earth with its fast initial spin, and eject enough debris into orbit to form the Moon.
How does the moon cross the ecliptic twice in one orbit?
It crosses the ecliptic twice each orbit (about every two weeks) at points called nodes. The ascending node is where the moon crosses from south to north of the ecliptic. The descending node is where it crosses from north to south of the ecliptic. [1]
Why does the Moon have less volatile substances than the Earth?
Answer: Moon rocks contain few volatile substances (e.g. water), which implies extra baking of the lunar surface relative to that of Earth. The relative abundance of oxygen isotopes on Earth and on the Moon are identical, which suggests that the Earth and Moon formed at the same distance from the Sun.