An asteroid orbits the sun for the same reason that a planet does; it has angular momentum. Asteroids generally remain in the asteroid belt because that is the orbit which their momentum gives them; if they had more momentum they would orbit farther from the sun, and if they had less momentum they would orbit closer to the sun (or fall into the sun, if their angular momentum were sufficiently low).
Because of the Gravitational pull of Mars and Jupiter the Asteroid belt says in the same orbit. It is closer to Mars, but Jupiter has a stronger Gravitational pull, so it stays where it is.
They are held there by the gravity of the sun keeping them in orbit.
gravity
God
Neptune is always outside the asteroid belt
cause they can
Asteroids are minor planets, especially those of the Inner Solar System. However, between the orbital paths of Mars and Jupiter lie a region known as the asteroid belt. Many asteroids come from there, but most of them stay there. Short-period comets originate from the Kuiper Belt, just outside the orbit of Neptune, while long-period comets are thought to originate in the Oort cloud.
The smaller an asteroid, the more easily it can be "bumped" out of it's place by an exterior force. it's position and direction of movement will change. It may find itself gravitationally re-related to some other asteroid, in which case it will stay in the asteroid belt. Or, it may get effected in such a way that it is knocked toward the inner solar system, and it will begin to fall towards the sun - and it may or may not be gravitationally caught by one of the inner planets before it gets to the sun.
It's difficult to be precise as the asteroids are spread about quite a lot. [See related link] The main belt starts just after Mars and finishes half way to Jupiter, but fragments called the Trojans, lie in the orbit of Jupiter. So; for a ball park figure, the asteroid belt starts at about 90 million kilometers (56 Million miles) from Earth.
it can not move
Neptune is always outside the asteroid belt
in the asteroid belt.
Each individual member of the asteroid 'belt' ... and there may be millions of them ... revolves around the sun in its own orbit and with its own orbital period. Most of them stay between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, so their orbital periods are between 2 years and 12 years.
cause they can
Each individual member of the asteroid 'belt' ... and there may be millions of them ... revolves around the sun in its own orbit and with its own orbital period. Most of them stay between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter, so their orbital periods are between 2 years and 12 years.
It doesn't 'DO' much. It is a region between Mars and Jupiter where asteroids orbit The Sun.
Asteroids are minor planets, especially those of the Inner Solar System. However, between the orbital paths of Mars and Jupiter lie a region known as the asteroid belt. Many asteroids come from there, but most of them stay there. Short-period comets originate from the Kuiper Belt, just outside the orbit of Neptune, while long-period comets are thought to originate in the Oort cloud.
Stay in orbit
The smaller an asteroid, the more easily it can be "bumped" out of it's place by an exterior force. it's position and direction of movement will change. It may find itself gravitationally re-related to some other asteroid, in which case it will stay in the asteroid belt. Or, it may get effected in such a way that it is knocked toward the inner solar system, and it will begin to fall towards the sun - and it may or may not be gravitationally caught by one of the inner planets before it gets to the sun.
For a planet to stay in it's orbit the forces must be in balance.
It's difficult to be precise as the asteroids are spread about quite a lot. [See related link] The main belt starts just after Mars and finishes half way to Jupiter, but fragments called the Trojans, lie in the orbit of Jupiter. So; for a ball park figure, the asteroid belt starts at about 90 million kilometers (56 Million miles) from Earth.