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How does gravity affect orbit?
Gravity is what holds the planets in orbit around the sun and what keeps the moon in orbit around Earth. The gravitational pull of the moon pulls the seas towards it, causing the ocean tides.
How does mass and gravity affect the orbits?
When objects are in orbit around each other, there is a strong pull of gravity between them. For example, we commonly say that the Moon is in orbit around the Earth. The amount of gravity between two objects depends on the masses of the objects, and also the distance between them.
Do orbits depend on gravity?
If the planet changes its distance from the Sun as it orbits, then the force of gravity between them must change. If the force that the Sun exerts on the planet increases (as the planet moves closer), then the acceleration of the planet must increase, resulting in a higher orbital speed, and vice versa.
How does gravity affect orbital speed?
Here’s how Neil DeGrasse Tyson could have been more accurate about the physics of how gravity affects orbital speed. The sun’s gravity weakens with increasing distance. So, the planets that are farther from the sun, move more slowly.”
Does velocity of the orbiting object affect orbits?
As a general rule, objects can enter orbit at lower velocities when they are farther away from the surface of a planet or star. When they are closer to the surface, it takes greater velocity to counteract the force of gravity.
Why does gravity make things orbit?
Orbits are the result of a perfect balance between the forward motion of a body in space, such as a planet or moon, and the pull of gravity on it from another body in space, such as a large planet or star. These forces of inertia and gravity have to be perfectly balanced for an orbit to happen.
How does gravity create the orbits of planets?
The sun’s gravity pulls the planet toward the sun, which changes the straight line of direction into a curve. This keeps the planet moving in an orbit around the sun. Because of the sun’s gravitational pull, all the planets in our solar system orbit around it.