If you can move freely in space with no resistance, how can mass enable space to change Earths traje
- Thread starter sityeuropa
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As a science nerd, hit me up if you want basic explanations of complex things.
I think your question has been answered in this thread, but incase you're still not 100%...
The current understanding of space is it is empty, without resistance, so if I were to throw a golf ball from the vastness of space, away from any celestial bodies, it would simply continue its velocity until it was attracted to a body of mass.
By attracted I mean exactly that, mavity is a powerful force that we truly know almost nothing about. The larger the mass, the larger the mavity. So, if the golf ball has a sun in it's path. It would accelerate the closer it reached the sun due to the gravitational pull.
If the sun was on it's right side, the golf ball would still be attracted but because it's glancing the mass's gravitational pull, the velocity of the golf ball is accounted for in the question of the path the ball will take past the sun.
By that, I mean, if it's literally only a tiny trace of mavity pulling the golf ball in, the ball might veer course slightly to the right, but that's it, if it's close enough, it will slowly turn right more and more and MAYBE miss the sun, but likely be caught in the gravitational pull and come BACK to the sun. However, skimming it and sling shotting out again.
Obviously, the above can have an infinite amount of possibilities and math is used to work out the trajectory of the golf ball, and in those possibilities, it's possible to reach orbit, where the ball stays within a very precise distance from the sun at all times whilst rotating around it.
Hopefully that breaks it down a bit more.
I think your question has been answered in this thread, but incase you're still not 100%...
The current understanding of space is it is empty, without resistance, so if I were to throw a golf ball from the vastness of space, away from any celestial bodies, it would simply continue its velocity until it was attracted to a body of mass.
By attracted I mean exactly that, mavity is a powerful force that we truly know almost nothing about. The larger the mass, the larger the mavity. So, if the golf ball has a sun in it's path. It would accelerate the closer it reached the sun due to the gravitational pull.
If the sun was on it's right side, the golf ball would still be attracted but because it's glancing the mass's gravitational pull, the velocity of the golf ball is accounted for in the question of the path the ball will take past the sun.
By that, I mean, if it's literally only a tiny trace of mavity pulling the golf ball in, the ball might veer course slightly to the right, but that's it, if it's close enough, it will slowly turn right more and more and MAYBE miss the sun, but likely be caught in the gravitational pull and come BACK to the sun. However, skimming it and sling shotting out again.
Obviously, the above can have an infinite amount of possibilities and math is used to work out the trajectory of the golf ball, and in those possibilities, it's possible to reach orbit, where the ball stays within a very precise distance from the sun at all times whilst rotating around it.
Hopefully that breaks it down a bit more.
Soldato
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That video shows the sun is travelling in a straight line, this is not the case, its on a vortex orbit too
Soldato
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Mass generates mavity, mavity warps space, Earth travels in a straight line through warped space.
Question from a none sciency person but who has a passion for it none the less. Given the way the ISS and other man made satellites orbit the earth being that they are basically always falling towards earth but due to their speed they are always falling " of the edge " thus continually orbit. Can it be similarly explained as planets behaving in this way or are the orbital mechanics different for celestial bodies?
Im a simpleton so please be easy on me
Orbital mechanic for planetary bodies or space stations are exactly the same.
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I understand what is happening regarding mavity.
Objects don't orbit each other because of attraction. The Earth is not attracted to the Sun and this is not what makes Earth go around the Sun.
Earth goes around the Sun because Space gets warped due to big mass.
My question is more of how Space gets warped and can alter the trajectory of big objects. Something so empty can become so powerful.
Objects don't orbit each other because of attraction. The Earth is not attracted to the Sun and this is not what makes Earth go around the Sun.
Earth goes around the Sun because Space gets warped due to big mass.
My question is more of how Space gets warped and can alter the trajectory of big objects. Something so empty can become so powerful.
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