Question #5fe5f
1 Answer
The mathematical answer to this question involves solving differential equations, so let's explore this qualitatively.
Explanation:
Orbiting is the same thing as falling, you just never hit the ground.
Let's do a though experiment. Let's say you throw a ball. It will make an arc and then hit the ground scenario A below). Now throw it harder. It will make a bigger arc and the hit the ground (scenario B). Now imagine you have some sort of super ball throwing machine that can throw the ball harder and harder. Eventually the ball will travel so far that it will miss the earth and just keep falling forever (scenario C). Now use the machine to throw the ball even harder, the ball will still orbit but get further before it comes back (scenario D) this is an elliptical orbit.
In our example, we used something orbiting the earth, but the same principle applies to planets orbiting the sun.
See also:
Gravity simulation you can play around with
