Gravity and Orbital Motion

Combine forward motion with inward gravitational acceleration.

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An orbiting object continues moving while gravity changes its direction toward the attracting body. In the simplified law F = Gm1m2/r^2, compare masses and center-to-center distance while holding other quantities fixed.

Worked example

Doubling one mass doubles gravitational force. Doubling distance instead makes the force one quarter as large in this model.

1. What does gravity continuously change in a circular orbit? Only the object's color The direction of velocity The object's identity

2. If one mass triples with other quantities fixed, how does force change? It becomes one third It becomes nine times larger It triples

3. If separation triples with masses fixed, what fraction of the original force remains? 1/9 1/3 3

4. Would an orbiting object stop moving forward if gravity vanished in this idealized model? Yes, it would stop instantly No, it would continue along its instantaneous tangent Yes, inertia would vanish too

5. Why is an orbit sometimes described as continuous free fall? There is no gravity in orbit Orbiting bodies have no mass Gravity accelerates the object while it keeps moving around the body

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