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When an object is in orbit is it falling at the same rate at which the Earth is curving?
Wiki User
∙ 10y ago
That's true if the orbit is perfectly circular ... which it never is.
In an elliptical orbit, I think you'd have to say that it's falling faster than the
central body's curvature when it's farther out, and slower than the central
body's curvature when it's closer in. (Think of the extreme elongated solar
orbit of a repeating comet.)
But on an intuitive level, the way you stated it is a good description.
Notes: Actually some satellites do have orbits which are described as "circular orbits".
Others have "elliptical orbits".
Of course the Earth isn't perfectly spherical either.
Incidentally, "rate of falling" and "rate of curving" are not really equivalent terms. I guess we know what you mean though.
Wiki User
∙ 10y ago
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What causes a satellite to stay in orbit rather than falling towards earth?
Its forward motion. Please understand that something in orbit IS falling towards Earth.
What object does the earth orbit?
The Sun
What is the weight of a falling object that has a mass of 16 kg?
0 because while the mass remains at 16 Kg, as the object is falling its weight (caused by the pull of gravity on its mass) becomes 0 as its acceleration equals that of the acceleration due to gravity. (This is why things seem weightless when in orbit round the Earth - they are actually falling).
Earth moves in a elliptical orbit around the?
The Earth follows a (slightly) elliptical orbit around the Sun.
What is the path of an orbit around a larger object called?
Orbit: as in the Earth orbits round the Sun.
What force prevents an object from falling indefinetly?
if its falling it will hit whats pulling it example of indefinitely falling is object in stable orbit ie moon around earth
How is it that neither the moon nor any of the satellites fall down to Earth if this is the case?
Satellites do not defy gravity they are actually falling all the time. They follow a curving path, however, and when that path matches the curve of the Earth, they are in orbit.
Why does a satellite in orbit around the earth not fall into the earth?
Anything in "orbit" is falling into the object that its orbiting ... and constantly missing. Because by the time the (orbiting) object has fallen far enough to hit ... the object it is orbiting has moved far enough so that they miss each other.
What causes the earth to be slowly falling toward the sun?
Our Earth is not in a falling orbit.
Why does an orbiting object stay in orbit?
Items, be they planets, moons or satellites, stay in orbit because they care carefully balanced between their inertia and the gravity of the primary object. They are freely falling - AROUND the primary.A satellite in low Earth orbit goes about 18,000 miles per hour in a direction tangent, or sideways, to the Earth's surface. Without gravity, it would fly off into space. It is continually falling toward the Earth. But because the satellite is moving sideways, by the time the satellite would have fallen to the ground, the satellite has already missed; it is along in its orbit, still falling, still traveling sideways to the Earth.
What causes a satellite to stay in orbit rather than falling towards earth?
Its forward motion. Please understand that something in orbit IS falling towards Earth.
What causes satellite to stay in orbit rather than falling towards earth?
Its forward motion. Please understand that something in orbit IS falling towards Earth.
What object does the earth orbit?
The Sun
What is a objects that orbit Earth?
What is an object that orbits Earth
When the only force acting on a falling object is gravity the object is to be said?
The object is said to be in free fall, such as in orbit.
What does wieghtlessness mean?
It generally means being without weight. This can happen in two situations - if an object is somewhere where there is no gravitational field then it will have no weight. More commonly, if an object is falling it effectively has no weight - when astronauts orbit the Earth they are are in freefall - they are continually falling towards the Earth, but they are so far from it that the curve of their fall matches the curve of the Earth and they continually go round (or orbit) the Earth. They are still close enough to Earth so that the Earth's gravity effects them, the free fall condition makes them feel weightless.
Why does objects stay in orbit?
Items, be they planets, moons or satellites, stay in orbit because they care carefully balanced between their inertia and the gravity of the primary object. They are freely falling - AROUND the primary.A satellite in low Earth orbit goes about 18,000 miles per hour in a direction tangent, or sideways, to the Earth's surface. Without gravity, it would fly off into space. It is continually falling toward the Earth. But because the satellite is moving sideways, by the time the satellite would have fallen to the ground, the satellite has already missed; it is along in its orbit, still falling, still traveling sideways to the Earth.
