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Inertia is the force that causes planets to move in a straight line. The gravity of a more massive body, such as the sun, causes them to fall into orbit instead of continuing in a straight line.
Wiki User
∙ 9y ago
Wiki User
∙ 10y agoThe simple answer is "gravity", but there's a bit more to it than that.
There are two types of forces needed to keep the planets in constant revolution around the Sun. They are Centripetal forces and Centrifugal forces.
Gravity provides the necessary centripetal force.
The centrifugal force keeps the planets from falling into the Sun because of the Sun's gravitational attraction.
"Centrifugal force" is technically called a "fictitious force". Sometimes it's referred to as the centrifugal effect.Basically it is caused by the inertia of the planets.
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoThe planets move in orbits that are nearly circular but not quite. They are ellipses with small eccentricity, so the orbits look like circles but with the Sun off-centre by a different amount for each planet (2.4 million kilometres for the Earth). The planets are kept in their orbits by the force of gravity from the Sun, which is very massive (330,000 times the mass of the Earth).
Wiki User
∙ 10y agoThe planets stay moving because there is nothing to stop them, but the force of gravity between planet and Sun keeps it in an elliptical orbit at a nearly constant distance from the Sun.
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoInertia
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What keeps the planets and sun in orbit?
The question probably means "What keeps the planets in orbit around the Sun?" The answer to that is : The Sun's gravitational attraction provides the force needed to keep the planets in orbit. This force doesn't pull the planets any closer to the Sun, but it stops the planets moving away (at a tangent to their orbits) due to their own velocities.
What controls the motions of the planets?
Gravity is what sets the planets in motion. The force that keeps them in motion is known as inertia in the law of physics.
What law describes the relationship between the average distance of a planet from the sun and the planets orbital period?
Centrifugal force and gravity keep the planets locked in orbit. The mass of the Sun naturally desires to pull other masses toward it. This causes the planets to move. The First Law of Motion states that objects in motion will continue unless acted on. Thus, we know that the planets would naturally have a tendency to continue in a straight line. However, the mass of the Sun (likewise with individual planets and their moons) causes the planets to have an altered, oval-shaped orbit.
The force that holds planets in their orbit?
The force that holds the planets in orbit is gravity, although inertia( the resistance of any physical object to a change in its state of motion or rest, or the tendency of an object to resist any change in its motion.) help to hold it in place as well, because the two forces balance each other out.
Why do planets keep on orbiting the sun?
They are held by the gravitational pull of the sun. All the planets and things like asteroids and comets are all within the influence of the sun's gravity.Additional answerBut the reason they go on moving is that there is nothing to stop them. On Earth things stop moving because of friction, but in space there is no friction so, according to Newton's 1st Law of Motion which says that a body will continue in its state of motion unless acted on by an external force, the planets just go on.
What does gravity have to do with the motion of the planets?
The gravitational force between planets supplies the centripetal force that causes them to orbit each other.
Do planets revolve around the sun along a set track?
Planets revolve on their axis. Separate to this motion, they also orbit the Sun. The force of gravity and the momentum of the objects keep them going.
How do the planets in the motion?
According to the Newton's first law of motion,each body continues it's motion until a force is exerted.In the outer space there might be no force in the opposite direction which is capable to make the planets stationery even after the BIG BANG THEORY.
What keeps the planets and sun in orbit?
The question probably means "What keeps the planets in orbit around the Sun?" The answer to that is : The Sun's gravitational attraction provides the force needed to keep the planets in orbit. This force doesn't pull the planets any closer to the Sun, but it stops the planets moving away (at a tangent to their orbits) due to their own velocities.
Is a force to keep an object in motion?
No, a force changes an object's motion. F=ma= mdv/dt
Is a force required to keep an odject in motion?
no
Is a force requierd to keep a object in motion?
No
What force is needed to keep an object in circular motion?
Centripetal force
How does the force of gravity affect the direction of motion of the planets?
earths rotation around the sun
How could newton's first law of motion explain that a force is acting between the sun and its planets?
If no force, the planets would move in a straight line, not in a orbit around the sun.
Which force affects the motion of planets?
The motion of the planets are governed by a number of factors: Gravity - The planets are being pulled towards the Sun in free fall. The velocity of the planets - This balances against the force of gravity opposing it and producing on balance the orbit. The mass of the planets. The effect of gravitational attraction between the planet and any satellites it has. The effect of gravitational attraction between the planets and other planets/dwarf planets etc.
What descriptions characterizes the Newtonian understanding of the mechanics of the solar system?
The natural motion of the planets is motion in a straight line. They are prevented from straight line motion by the gravitational force of the Sun.
