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because they both rotate.

If you hold the string with your and swing the ball around, the ball going around your hand is like a planet going around its star.

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10y ago
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13y ago

The ball is the planet in orbit, the person twirling it is like the sun. the string is the gravitational pull between the two, while the orbital velocity of the ball tries to escape (if you let the ball go it would fly away).

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10y ago

It is similar because the central force of gravity is replaced by the central tension in the string so the ball goes round in a circle, continuously accelerating towards the centre like planets do, but never falling inwards because of its sideways speed.

The difference is that the string stays the same length, so if you rotate the ball faster it just increases the tension in the string, which is not how gravity works to produce an elliptical orbit.

A better model for a planet is a ball on a piece of elastic, so that the inward force is proportional to the distance. That produces an elliptical path with the hand at the cente.

The next stage to consider is an inverse-square law, like gravity, which produces an elliptical orbit with the hand (or Sun) at one focus.

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12y ago

when you spin the ball and string, your hands acts as the sun and the ball would be the planet. when you feel the tug on the string that is the centrifugal force and when you pull back on the string that would be equivalent to the suns gravitation pull on the planets. hope that helps :)

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8y ago

It simulates the Moon revolving around the Earth while keeping one side facing it. In this case the side where the string is attached must always face the center of the circle it is making. The string is analogous to gravity holding the Moon, while its forward speed keeps the string taut -- while being twirled the ball stays out at the length of the string. It revolves consistently in the same plane defined by the moving string.

In the real Earth-Moon system, the distance from the Earth to the Moon is an ellipse, and it is about 10% closer at perigee than at apogee.

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Q: How is tying a piece of string to a ball and twirling it around similar to the moon orbiting earth?
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What is going to happen if you Imagine tying a string to a ball and twirling it around you how is it similar to the moon orbiting earth?

The string acts like the gravity of the earth. the circular motion of the ball imitates the orbit of he moon.


How centripetal force and gravity keep a satellite orbiting?

Once an object is set into motion in a given direction it will continue in that direction unless a force prevents it from doing so. If you swing a ball around and around on the end of a string, it goes in a circle at the end of the string. The thing that keeps the ball from flying off is the string pulling on it. If you let go of the string the ball will sail off in a straight line in the direction it was moving at the moment you release the string.The ball wants to go in a straight line, the thing that prevents that is the string pulling on it. The string is exerting a centripetal force on the ball preventing it from flying away.Just like the ball, a satellite rotating around the Earth would fly off into space in a straight line if something weren't pulling it back toward the Earth. Earth's gravity is exerting a centripetal force, pulling on it, preventing the satellite from sailing away.


What provides the centripetal force that keeps objects in orbit?

Centripetal force wants to move something towards the centre. So in a satellites case that would be the Gravity of the Earth. If you had a rock tied to a string you were spinning around, the Centripetal Force would be the tension in the string acting towards the centre.


Why doesn't the sun fall from the sky. Shouldn't all the planets too fall along with the sun due to gravity?

If you tie a string to an object and hold the other end of the string, it will hang down from your hand towards the ground. If you swing the string around your head, the object will move upwards until it is rotating around your hand as it gets faster and faster. That speed is what allows the object to overcome the pull of gravity. Similarly, the planets are all rotating around the Sun at speeds which are fast enough to keep them from falling into it. The Sun is also spinning around the galaxy, and our galaxy is also in motion. The whole universe is in constant motion.


Why the gravitational acceleration increases if earth stops spinning?

When the earth is spinning, the rotation along with gravity creates centrifugal force. This is the same as the force that happens when you swing a yo-yo around by the string, the string is like gravity in that scenario holding the yo-yo close to you.

Related questions

What is going to happen if you Imagine tying a string to a ball and twirling it around you how is it similar to the moon orbiting earth?

The string acts like the gravity of the earth. the circular motion of the ball imitates the orbit of he moon.


What does the Hindi word latoo mean?

The Hindi word "latoo" means "spinning top." It refers to a traditional toy that is typically made of wood or plastic and is spun by twirling a string tightly around it and pulling it.


Why sun not revolving around the earth?

Astronomically, you only get smaller masses orbiting larger ones - try imagining a tennis ball on the end of a string, with you swinging the tennis ball around. Now imagine the tennis ball swinging you!


Why the earth revolving around the sun?

Astronomically, you only get smaller masses orbiting larger ones - try imagining a tennis ball on the end of a string, with you swinging the tennis ball around. Now imagine the tennis ball swinging you!


What keeps the planetsasteroids and your moon in orbit?

The force of those objects' gravity and the gravity of the Sun pull on each other. The result is similar to whirling a ball tied to a string around and around yourself. The string is like the force of gravity.


How do you find head circumference?

You can place a string around the head, and then measure the string. Or measure directly with a measuring tape, if you have one that is flexible enough (basically, a measuring tape made up of cloth or something similar).


How can i test my model rockets aerodynamics?

An easy way to test the general airworthiness of a rocket design is to tie a string around the middle of the rocket so it hangs "balanced". Then swing the rocket around your head in a big circle (kinda like twirling a lasso). If it's aerodynamically stable, the "nose" should always remain pointed "forward" as it goes around in a big circle.


How do you find the circunference of a bowl?

You get a string that can fit around the bowl and wrap the string around it and mark where they overlap. measure the string and there is the circumfrence!


How do you get the circumference of a cylinder with a string?

Wrap the string around the cylinder, mark where the end of the string touched itself, remove the string, and measure from the end of the string to the mark.


In inuit language what does ajarorpoq mean?

It is a string game similar to Cat's Cradle played by the Inuit using a string of sinew.


How centripetal force and gravity keep a satellite orbiting?

Once an object is set into motion in a given direction it will continue in that direction unless a force prevents it from doing so. If you swing a ball around and around on the end of a string, it goes in a circle at the end of the string. The thing that keeps the ball from flying off is the string pulling on it. If you let go of the string the ball will sail off in a straight line in the direction it was moving at the moment you release the string.The ball wants to go in a straight line, the thing that prevents that is the string pulling on it. The string is exerting a centripetal force on the ball preventing it from flying away.Just like the ball, a satellite rotating around the Earth would fly off into space in a straight line if something weren't pulling it back toward the Earth. Earth's gravity is exerting a centripetal force, pulling on it, preventing the satellite from sailing away.


Why do moons not fall into the planet they are orbating?

Think of swinging a ball around and around on the end of a string. The ball will stay straight out at the end of the string. The ball stays suspended at the end of the string because the moving ball wants to go straight but it can't because the string is holding it -- keeping it from flying away. The force the string is exerting on the ball is called centripetal force.Moons rotate around their planets just as the ball swings around on the string. The planet's gravity acts as the string, holding the moon from flying off into space.