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When two objects of unequal mass orbit each other where is the center of mass?
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
In this case, the center of mass will be closer to the object with greater mass.
Wiki User
∙ 13y ago
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What is a barycenter?
That's the center of mass of two or more objects that orbit each other.
Do pluto and charan the moon circle around each other?
Yes, sort of. They basically orbit their common center of mass. The same applies to Earth and Moon; Sun and Jupiter; etc.; two such objects generally have the tendency to orbit their center of mass.
Do the stars orbit the planets or do planets orbit stars?
Moons orbit planets. Planets orbit stars. Some stars orbit other stars, or orbit their mutual center of gravity. Stars orbit the center of the galaxy. Galaxies may orbit the center of the "galactic group".
Why do smaller planets always orbit larger planets?
Moons orbit planets, though they could sometimes be thought of as small planets. Objects are kept in orbit by the force of gravity. If something crashes into a planet and pieces of rock fly everywhere, they will be pulled together by the gravity of the planet and will start to orbit it. If an asteroid or large rock in space gets too near a planet, the planet's gravity will sometimes 'capture' it and keep the asteroid in orbit. ______________ Our moon orbits the earth in an elliptical orbit (almost all orbits in the solar system are elliptical). The interesting thing that may provide a satisfying answer to your interesting question is that objects really orbit each other; it is not a matter of one of the objects doing the orbiting all by itself. If you and a friend hold the ends of a rope and then begin to move in circles, you will find that you each will move in a circle, not just one of you. The one with the more mass will move in a smaller circle, but if you are identical, your movements will be the same. The earth and the moon each have mass, so each pulls on the other. Earth and moon orbit around the center of gravity of the earth/moon system. This center of gravity happens to be within the body of the earth, but it is not at earth's center. Two objects of the same mass will swirl around each other with their center of gravity half way between them. There are even systems of double stars that are in orbit around each other in this way.
What do the planets of our solar system orbit?
All of the planets (major, dwarf, and minor) as well as all other objects in our solar system orbit the sun.Technically each object is orbiting a point between the center of the object and the center of the Sun called "The Center of Gravity," but this point is deep inside the Sun so it is safe to say that the objects orbit the sun without causing too much error.
What is geocentric vs heliocentric?
The Geocentric Theory states that the Earth is the center of the universe, and that all other objects orbit around it. The Heliocentric Theory states that the Sun is the center of the universe, and all other objects orbit around it. Of course, the Heliocentric Theory is correct, since all astronomical objects orbit around the Sun.
What is a barycenter?
That's the center of mass of two or more objects that orbit each other.
Why does the sun orbit the center of the galaxy?
Gravity! If the Sun (and all other stars and objects in the Milky Way) didn't orbit the center, they would eventually fall in to the central super-massive black hole at the center of the Milky Way.
Do pluto and charan the moon circle around each other?
Yes, sort of. They basically orbit their common center of mass. The same applies to Earth and Moon; Sun and Jupiter; etc.; two such objects generally have the tendency to orbit their center of mass.
How do things maintain orbit around the earth?
Gravity _____________ See link for information about different ways that objects can orbit other objects.
What is a path in which planets and other objects travel?
Orbit
How many stars are there in a typical solar system?
Typically one, like ours. But it is possible to have binary or even trinary star systems as well, where the stars orbit each other, and the other objects in the system orbit the center of gravity between them.
Do the stars orbit the planets or do planets orbit stars?
Moons orbit planets. Planets orbit stars. Some stars orbit other stars, or orbit their mutual center of gravity. Stars orbit the center of the galaxy. Galaxies may orbit the center of the "galactic group".
What is the actual shape of an orbit?
Orbits (of astronomical objects around other objects) are basically ellipses.
What is the property described by objects that are constantly moving around each other?
Objects that move around other objects in the universe are said to be orbiting it, or in orbit.
How do all planets orbit the sun?
Through gravitational pull. The largest object will have smaller objects orbit it (objects close in size will orbit each other, but no planet is close to the size of the sun)
What is the property described by objects in the universe that are constantly moving around each other?
Objects that move around other objects in the universe are said to be orbiting it, or in orbit.
