Why doesn't the moon fall to the earth? Research project "Why doesn't the Moon fall to Earth?"
The Moon falls on the Sun in the same way as on the Earth, that is, only enough to remain at approximately the same distance while revolving around the Sun.
The Earth and its satellite, the Moon, revolve around the Sun, which means that the Moon revolves around the Sun.
The following question arises: the Moon does not fall to the Earth, because, having an initial speed, it moves by inertia. But according to Newton's third law, the forces with which two bodies act on each other are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction. Therefore, with the same force with which the Earth attracts the Moon, with the same force the Moon attracts the Earth. Why doesn't the Earth fall on the Moon? Or does it also revolve around the Moon?
On the page. Newton decided to compare the fall of a stone on earth's surface with the movement of the Moon and comparison of “astronomical” forces? which act on the Moon using forces? earthly? which act on objects everyday life, derived the general law of gravitation. The men are armed with swords and sticks, and a soldier accompanies them. Inspired by the same evil purpose, they cross the dark streets of Jerusalem and travel to the Mount of Olives in the Kidron Valley. Although it is a full moon night, they carry lamps and torches. Light the way because the clouds are hiding the moon's light?
Or do they think their prey is hidden in the shadows? One thing is certain: anyone who thinks Jesus is going to be afraid doesn't know Him. The crowd approaches, with Judas at its head. The one who was one of the Master's trusted friends betrays him, clearly calling him a hypocritical salute and a kiss.
The fact is that both the Moon and the Earth revolve around a common center of mass, or, to simplify, one might say, around a common center of gravity. Remember the experiment with balls and a centrifugal machine. The mass of one of the balls is twice the mass of the other. In order for the balls connected by a thread to remain in equilibrium relative to the axis of rotation when rotating, their distances from the axis, or center of rotation, must be inversely proportional to the masses. The point, or center, around which these balls revolve is called the center of mass of the two balls.
Taking a step forward, he asks, “Who are you looking for?” “To Jesus of Nazareth,” they answer. Perhaps this is what they expect from the man in front of them. But Jesus is not afraid, he does not run away, he does not hide in lies. Wearing them displays so much calm and courage that men recoil in amazement and fall to the ground. The answer is summed up in one word: meaning. Few virtues are so admired or so important in a leader, and in this no man has ever equaled—much less surpassed—Jesus. In the previous chapter we learned of his humility and meekness, qualities by which he was appropriately called “the Lamb.”
Newton's third law is not violated in the experiment with balls: the forces with which the balls pull each other towards a common center of mass are equal. In the Earth-Moon system, the common center of mass revolves around the Sun.
> Can the force with which the Earth attracts Lu-nu be called the weight of the Moon?
No, you can't. We call the weight of a body the force caused by the gravity of the Earth with which the body presses on some support: a scale pan, for example, or stretches the spring of a dynamometer. If you place a stand under the Moon (on the side facing the Earth), then the Moon will not put pressure on it. The Moon would not stretch the spring of the dynamometer even if they could suspend it. The entire effect of the gravitational force of the Moon on Earth is expressed only in keeping the Moon in orbit, in imparting centripetal acceleration to it. We can say about the Moon that in relation to the Earth it is weightless, just like weightless objects in a spaceship-satellite, when the engine stops working and only the force of gravity towards the Earth acts on the ship, but this force cannot be called weight . All objects released from the hands of the astronauts (pen, notepad) do not fall, but float freely inside the cabin. All bodies located on the Moon, in relation to the Moon, are, of course, weighty and will fall to its surface if they are not held in place by something, but in relation to the Earth, these bodies will be weightless and cannot fall to the Earth .
However, its value makes it worthy of a completely different designation. The Bible says about the Son of God: Look! The lion that belongs to the tribe of Judah. Have you ever met an adult lion face to face? In this case, it was most likely separated from him by a protective fence at the zoo. However, the experience can be overwhelming. When we look at this fat, cruel animal, when he looks at us, we can hardly imagine how he fled from horror.
Defended the truth with courage
The Bible says that the lion is “the strongest of the beasts and does not turn back before anyone.” We will also see that everyone - whether we are brave by nature or not - can imitate and exhibit this quality. Jesus did not wait to do this as an adult, as a certain episode of his life shows. At the age of 12, he was separated from his parents after celebrating the Passover holiday in Jerusalem. After despairing for three days, Mary and Joseph finally found him in the temple. What was he doing?
> Is there centrifugal force in the Earth-Moon system, what does it act on?
In the Earth-Moon system, the forces of mutual attraction between the Earth and the Moon are equal and oppositely directed, namely towards the center of mass. Both of these forces are centrifugal. There is no centrifugal force here.
The distance from the Earth to the Moon is approximately 384,000 km. The ratio of the mass of the Moon to the mass of the Earth is 1/81. Consequently, the distances from the center of mass to the centers of the Moon and Earth will be inversely proportional to these numbers. Dividing 384,000 km at 81, we get approximately 4,700 km. This means that the center of mass is at a distance of 4,700 km from the center of the Earth.
Think about environment, in which this conversation developed. According to historians, some of the most illustrious religious teachers remained at the temple after the festival to teach people in one of its large atriums. People sat at their feet, listened and asked questions. These teachers were highly educated people. They had a deep knowledge of the Law of Moses, as well as many complex laws and human traditions that had multiplied over the years. How would you feel in the midst of them?
No less. What if I was only 12 years old? Many children are shy. Some try to be sure to remain unnoticed at school because they are afraid that their teachers will ask a question or that they prefer to do something, they are afraid of embarrassment or ridicule. And not only that, because the story adds: “Everyone who listened to him was amazed at his understanding and answers.” Although the Bible does not indicate what he said on this matter, he certainly did not repeat the lies that were so popular among these religious teachers.
The radius of the Earth is about 6400 km. Therefore, the center of mass of the Earth-Moon system lies inside globe. Therefore, if we do not strive for accuracy, we can talk about the Moon’s revolution around the Earth.
It is easier to fly from Earth to the Moon or from the Moon to Earth, because... It is known that in order for a rocket to become an artificial satellite of the Earth, it must be informed initial speed? 8 km/sec. In order for the rocket to leave the Earth's sphere of gravity, the so-called second escape velocity is needed, equal to 11.2 km/sec. To launch rockets from the Moon, you need a lower speed because... the force of gravity on the Moon is six times less than on Earth.
On the other hand, Jesus defended the truth of the Word of God, and all who heard him were infinitely amazed that a twelve-year-old boy showed himself with such intelligence and courage. Many young Christians express their faith through courage. How do young Christians today imitate the values of Jesus?
It is true that they are not perfect like Jesus, but they follow their example because they do not expect to be adults to defend the truth. Whether in school or in your community, they respectfully teach the truth to others by asking them tactful questions and listening to their response. As a group, they helped classmates, teachers, and neighbors become followers of Christ. How much Jehovah must please the courage of these young men!
The bodies inside the rocket become weightless from the moment when the engines stop working and the rocket flies freely in orbit around the Earth, while being in the Earth's gravitational field. During free flight around the Earth, both the satellite and all objects in it relative to the Earth’s center of mass move with the same centripetal acceleration and are therefore weightless.
His Word is like drops of dew: refreshing, pleasant and numerous. 11 How Jesus courageously defended the truth in adult life? In his adult life, Jesus continued to defend the truth with courage. In fact, her ministry began with a confrontation that many would call frightening. He had to face Satan - the most powerful and dangerous of all Jehovah's enemies, but not as a powerful archangel, but simply a man of flesh and blood. Jesus rejected the Devil and refuted his distorted application of some divinely inspired words.
The meeting ended with Jesus' energetic command: “Go, Satan!” At that time, as it was now, religious dishonesty reigned, as evidenced by what Jesus Christ said to the spiritual leaders of his time: “The word of God is not true because of the betrayal that you delivered.” Although the people revered these men, Jesus had no doubt that they condemned them as blind and hypocritical teachers.
How did the balls not connected by a thread move on a centrifugal machine: along a radius or along a tangent to a circle? The answer depends on the choice of the reference system, i.e., relative to which reference body we will consider the movement of the balls. If we take the table surface as the reference system, then the balls moved along tangents to the circles they described. If we take the rotating device itself as the reference system, then the balls moved along a radius. Without indicating a reference system, the question of motion makes no sense at all. To move means to move relative to other bodies, and we must definitely indicate which ones.
How can we copy his courageous example? What should we remember as we imitate Jesus? But what privilege do we have? For example, when we expose religious lies - lies so often taught about God, His purposes and His Word - we illuminate a world darkened by Satan's propaganda. We help people free themselves from bondage to false doctrines that fill the heart with painful fear and poison their relationship with God.
Advancing Justice
How privileged we are to keep the promise of Jesus: “They will know the truth, and the truth will set them free”! The Bible predicted that the Messiah would explain to the nations “what is justice.” There is no doubt that Jesus began this work while he was on earth. He always treated others in a fair and just manner, which required great courage on his part. For example, he refused to accept attitudes that were contrary to Scripture, such as the prejudices and bigotry that existed around him.
The article talks about why the Moon does not fall on the Earth, the reasons for its movement around the Earth and some other aspects of the celestial mechanics of our Solar System.
Beginning of the space age
The natural satellite of our planet has always attracted attention. In ancient times, the Moon was the subject of cult of some religions, and with the invention of primitive telescopes, the first astronomers could not tear themselves away from contemplating the majestic craters.
Why? Because at that time the Jews in general hated the Samaritans, a feeling that came many years ago. And to this was added the contempt that the rabbis had for women. Their laws, written down some time later, prevented people from speaking to them and even implied that women did not deserve to be taught the Law of God. The Samaritans, in particular, were considered unclean.
With the appearance of such prejudices, Jesus openly taught this woman, who led an immoral life, and even revealed that he was the Messiah. Why do Christians need the courage to act without prejudice? They are likely to make derogatory jokes about people of a different race or nation, or speak disparagingly towards members of the opposite sex, or put down those of lower social or economic standing. Those of us who are followers of Christ, for our part, shun such disgusting views and strive to eradicate all traces of prejudice from the heart.
A little later, with discoveries in other areas of astronomy, it became clear that not only our planet, but also a number of others, have such a celestial satellite. And Jupiter has as many as 67 of them! But ours is the leader in size in the entire system. But why doesn't the Moon fall to Earth? What is the reason for its movement in the same orbit? This is what we will talk about.
Celestial mechanics
Therefore, we must all develop the courage to act fairly in this regard. What action did Jesus take in the temple and why? Courage also led Jesus to strive for the purity of God's people and all that is associated with pure worship. At the beginning of his ministry, he entered the Jerusalem Temple and was horrified to see merchants and money peddlers there. Filled with righteous indignation, he drove out these greedy people along with their goods. A similar episode occurred at the end of his ministry.
Although Jesus must have won the enmity of powerful men with these actions, he did not hesitate. As a child, he called his Father's house a temple, and he did it with all his heart. To desecrate the place where Jehovah worshiped was an injustice he could not tolerate.
First, you need to understand what orbital movement is and why it occurs. According to the definition used by physicists and astronomers, an orbit is the movement of another, significantly larger object in mass. For a long time It was believed that the orbits of planets and satellites were circular in shape as the most natural and perfect, but Kepler, after unsuccessful attempts to apply this theory to the movement of Mars, rejected it.
Zeal for true worship gave him the courage to do what he needed to do. How can Christians show courage to maintain the purity of the congregation? Therefore, if we see a brother in faith committing a serious sin, we do not close our eyes, but we speak with courage, or we make sure that the elders of the congregation know about it.
Elders can help those who are spiritually sick and take steps to preserve the purity of Jehovah's sheep. It is true that he lived surrounded by injustices. His country was occupied by a foreign power, Rome, which oppressed the Jews with a strong military presence, imposed heavy taxes, and interfered with religion.
As you know from a physics course, any two objects experience mutual so-called gravity. The same forces influence our planet and the Moon. But if they are attracted, then why doesn’t the Moon fall to the Earth, as would be most logical?
The thing is that the Earth does not stand still, but moves around the Sun in an ellipse, as if constantly “running away” from its satellite. And he, in turn, has an inertial speed, which is why he travels in an elliptical orbit.
Once again its meaning came into play. Based on his example, he instructed his disciples to remain aloof from the political conflicts of their time and devote themselves rather to preaching good news about the Kingdom of God. When the mob came to arrest him, he taught a shocking lesson in neutrality. It so happened that, impulsively, the Apostle Peter pulled out a sword and wounded a man. His reaction is very understandable because if violence has ever seemed justified, it was on that night that the innocent Son of God was attacked.
However, Jesus set a pattern that his disciples would follow to this day when he said, “Put your sword back in its place, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.” Followers of Christ needed courage to maintain a peaceful attitude, and we need the same today. Thanks to their Christian neutrality, God's people have an impeccable record of wars, massacres, riots and countless other violent acts that have occurred in modern times.
The simplest example that can explain this phenomenon is a ball on a string. If you spin it, it will hold the object in one plane or another, but if you slow down, it will not be enough and the ball will fall. The same forces act on the Moon. The Earth's gravity carries it along, preventing it from standing still, and the centrifugal force, developed as a result of rotation, holds it, preventing it from approaching a critical distance.
Bravely faced opposition
Such historical evidence- a real tribute to its value. Repeated death threats against him culminated in the episode reported at the beginning of this chapter. How could he be so courageous in the face of such dangers? Well, what did he do just before the crowd caught him? And what did the Lord do?
The Bible says that Jesus "was received with favor." In fact, Jehovah sent an angel from heaven to comfort his brave Son. Pause for a moment to think about the value contained in these words. Let's go, he said, knowing that he would ask the people to make his friends leave, knowing that they would abandon him and run away, knowing that he would face the biggest test of his life. No one was with him when he faced an illegal and unfair trial, ridicule, torture and cruel death.
If we give an even simpler explanation to the question of why the Moon does not fall to the Earth, then the reason for this is the equal interaction of forces. Our planet attracts the satellite, forcing it to rotate, and the centrifugal force seems to push it away.
Sun
Similar laws apply not only to our planet and satellite, everyone else also obeys them. In general, gravity is a very interesting topic. The movement of the planets around is often compared to a clock mechanism, it is so precise and verified. And most importantly, it is extremely difficult to break it. Even if several planets are removed from it, the rest will very likely be rebuilt into new orbits, and collapse with a fall on the central star will not occur.
But if our star has such a colossal gravitational effect even on the most distant objects, then why doesn’t the Moon fall on the Sun? Of course, the star is at a much greater distance than the Earth, but its mass, and therefore gravity, is an order of magnitude higher.
The thing is that its satellite also moves in orbit around the Sun, and the latter affects not the Moon and Earth separately, but their common center of mass. And the Moon is subject to the double influence of gravity - stars and planets, and after it the centrifugal force, which balances them. Otherwise, all the satellites and other objects would have burned out long ago in the hot sun. This is exactly the answer to frequently asked question about why the moon doesn't fall.
Movement of the Sun
Another fact worth mentioning is that the Sun also moves! And along with it, our entire system, although we are accustomed to believing that outer space is stable and unchanging, with the exception of the orbits of the planets.
If we look more globally, within systems and their entire clusters, we can see that they also move along their own trajectories. IN in this case The sun with its “satellites” revolves around the center of the galaxy. If we imagine this picture from above, it looks like a spiral with many branches, which are called galactic arms. Our Sun, along with millions of other stars, moves in one of these arms.
Fall
But still, if you ask yourself this question and fantasize? What conditions are needed for the Moon to crash into the Earth or travel towards the Sun?
This can happen if the satellite stops rotating around the main object and the centrifugal force disappears, or if something greatly changes its orbit and adds speed, for example, a collision with a meteorite.
Well, it will go to the star if its movement around the Earth is purposefully somehow stopped and an initial acceleration is given towards the star. But most likely, the Moon will simply gradually settle into a new curved orbit.
Let's summarize: the Moon does not fall to the Earth, because, in addition to the attraction of our planet, it is also affected by a centrifugal force, which seems to push it away. As a result, these two phenomena balance each other, the satellite does not fly away and does not crash into the planet.