If the moon attracts the earth, why does the earth not move towards the moon?
Solution and Explanation
The Earth and the moon experience equal gravitational forces from each other. However, the mass of the Earth is much larger than the mass of the moon. Hence, it accelerates at a rate lesser than the acceleration rate of the moon towards the Earth. For this reason, the Earth does not move towards the moon.
Top Questions on Gravitation
- Given below are two statements: Statement I: A satellite is moving around earth in an orbit very close to the earth surface. The time period of revolution of satellite depends upon the density of earth.
Statement II: The time period of revolution of the satellite is \[ T = 2\pi \sqrt{\frac{R_e}{g}} \] (for satellite very close to the earth surface), where \(R_e\) is the radius of earth and \(g\) is acceleration due to gravity.
In the light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below.- JEE Main - 2026
- Physics
- Gravitation
- Initially a satellite of 100 kg is in a circular orbit of radius 1.5\(R_E\). This satellite can be moved to a circular orbit of radius 3\(R_E\) by supplying \(a \times 10^6\) J of energy. The value of a is_________ . (Take Radius of Earth \(R_E = 6 \times 10^6\) m and g = 10 m/s\(^2\)).
- JEE Main - 2026
- Physics
- Gravitation
- The escape velocity from a spherical planet \(A\) is \(10\ \text{km/s}\). The escape velocity from another planet \(B\), whose density and radius are \(10%\) of those of planet \(A\), is _______ m/s.
- JEE Main - 2026
- Physics
- Gravitation
Net gravitational force at the center of a square is found to be \( F_1 \) when four particles having masses \( M, 2M, 3M \) and \( 4M \) are placed at the four corners of the square as shown in figure, and it is \( F_2 \) when the positions of \( 3M \) and \( 4M \) are interchanged. The ratio \( \dfrac{F_1}{F_2} = \dfrac{\alpha}{\sqrt{5}} \). The value of \( \alpha \) is
- JEE Main - 2026
- Physics
- Gravitation
- In the given situation, the force at the center on 1 kg mass is \( F_1 \). Now if \( 4m \) and \( 3m \) are interchanged, the force is \( F_2 \). Given \( \frac{F_1}{F_2} = \frac{2}{\sqrt{\alpha}} \), find \( \alpha \).
- JEE Main - 2026
- Physics
- Gravitation
Questions Asked in CBSE Class IX exam
(i) The kind of person the doctor is (money, possessions)
(ii) The kind of person he wants to be (appearance, ambition)- CBSE Class IX
- The snake and the mirror
- Lushkoff is earning thirty five roubles a month. How is he obliged to Sergei for this?
- CBSE Class IX
- The beggar
ABCD is a quadrilateral in which AD = BC and ∠ DAB = ∠ CBA (see Fig. 7.17). Prove that
(i) ∆ ABD ≅ ∆ BAC
(ii) BD = AC
(iii) ∠ ABD = ∠ BAC.
- CBSE Class IX
- Congruence of Triangles
- Why does the author say that Iswaran seemed to more than make up for the absence of a TV in Mahendra’s living quarters?
- CBSE Class IX
- Iswaran the storyteller
- Here is your diary entry when you visited Agra. Read the points and try to write a travelogue describing your visit to Agra and the Taj Mahal. You may add more details.
January 2003 — rise before dawn — take the Shatabdi Express at 6.15 a.m. from Delhi — meet a newly-married couple on train — talk about Himachal Pradesh — get off the train — enter the once-grand city, Agra — twisted alleys — traffic dense — rickshaws, cars, people — vendors selling religious artifacts, plastic toys, spices and sweets — go to the Taj Mahal — constructed entirely of white marble — magical quality — colour changes with varying of light and shadow — marble with gemstones inside — reflection of the Taj Mahal in the pond — school-children, tourists — tourist guides following people.- CBSE Class IX
- Kathmandu