Why doesnt the moon crash into the earth?

Question

Hi -

I learned that any body "in orbit" is really in continuos free fall due to gravity.

But if so, why hasnt the moon crashed into the earth? An apple when dropped only takes a second to fall to the earth, surely a few million years (or whatever it is ...) is long enough for the moon.

cyswxman · Accepted Answer

Technically it is "falling" toward the Earth, just not directly.  The Moon's forward momentum is such that when combined with the Earth's gravitational pull, the "falling" occurs in a curved path which allows the Moon to circle the Earth.

Anonymous · Answer

Because it has enough momentum to overcome that natural force. The moon is actually moving away from the earth by an inch or so every year. This doesn't sound a lot, but in say, 500,000,000 years, there will never again be such a thing as a total solar eclipse, only a lunar transit of the sun.

Anonymous · Answer

centrifugal force, it's slightly stronger than the Earths gravity which is why the moon is slowly moving further away from us.

and if you don't know what centrifugal force is, it's the thing that when you sit in the middle of a round-about and spin it really fast it makes you slide to the edge.

erinbaileyyy · Answer

GRAVITY
the earth and moon pull on each other and the moon also moves away frm earth about 1 cm a year or more.

Tom S · Answer

The moon is not headed in the direction of the Earth.  Same reason the Earth does not fall into the Sun, they are in stable orbits.

Michael T · Answer

Because the earth is round.

Rae M · Answer

LACK OF GRAVITY!!!!

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Why doesnt the moon crash into the earth?

7 Answers