alleryStart learning →The Moon stays in orbit around the Earth. Which force provides its centripetal force?
AThe tension of an unseen link
BThe friction of the upper air
CThe gravitational pull of Earth
DThe magnetic field of the Earth
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: C. The gravitational pull of Earth
1. Any body moving on a curved path needs a net inward force to hold it there.
2. For the Moon that inward force is supplied by the gravitational pull of the Earth.
3. Gravity acts at a distance, so no contact or connecting link is needed.
4. The very same force explains a falling apple and the weight we carry on our feet.
_Source: OpenStax College Physics (CC BY 4.0), Ch 6 "Uniform Circular Motion and Gravitation", section 6.5 Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation_
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