Gravity Pulls, Motion Keeps Them Going
The sun pulls planets toward it with gravity, just like how Earth pulls you down when you jump. But the planets are also moving fast enough sideways that they don’t fall straight in, instead, they keep looping around and around.
Examples
- A ball tied to a string keeps spinning around your head, if you let go, it would fly off into space or fall straight down.
- Like when you ride a merry-go-round, you're being pulled inward by the center but keep moving forward as you spin.
- Imagine a dog chasing its tail, it's always running in circles without falling in.
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See also
- What Causes the Northern Lights?
- How Does a Mirror Work Exactly?
- How Does Gravity Affect the Moon’s Orbit?
- What Causes a ‘Golden’ Sunset or Sunrise?
- How Does Gravity Affect Space Travel?
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Categories: Physics · gravity,orbits,planets,space