Why don’t we collide with the sun?

Our host star, the Sun, has an impressive influence gravitational force; This is why all the planets in the solar system revolve around our star. They’re all falling toward the sun, but why don’t we hit them? The answer lies in the delicate balance between gravity and orbital speed of the planets.

The role of gravity

Let’s first talk about gravity, the force that keeps the planets in their orbit around the sun. It was first described mathematically by the English scientist Sir Isaac Newton in the 17th century (universal law of gravity), Which was later refined by the theory of general relativity by the German-Jewish physicist Albert Einstein. Gravity is the force of attraction between two masses. In the case at hand, in our solar system, The Sun is the most massive body Thus it exerts a strong gravitational pull on all planets, including Earth. They are all attracted to the star’s superior gravity.

Role of orbits

but, Despite this strong gravitational force, the planets do not ultimately collide with the sun… Why? Thanks to orbits. An orbit is a regular, repeating path that an object follows in space around another object; It is the result of gravity. A planet moving in space would continue in a straight line at a constant speed were it not for the gravity of other bodies. but The sun’s gravity causes it to deviate from this straight path, causing it to move in an elliptical or semi-circular orbit.

Thus, although the orbital velocity creates a centrifugal force that acts outward, away from the Sun, the star’s gravity pulls the planet inward. thus, The balance between these two forces, the force that is attracted outward and that which is drawn toward the Sun, keeps the planets in their orbits.Which actually causes it to “fall” around the sun but without colliding with it. In short, it falls around the sun, not into or toward it.

What would happen if the planets did not move?

If the planets are not moving, or if they are moving very slowly (Recordemos que la Tierra viaja a una velocidad media de unos 30 kilometres por segundo en órbita alrededor del Sol), no generarían suficiente fuerza centrífuga para equilibrar la atracción gravitacional del Sol. For now, this place is where the sun is directing.

This complex dance of celestial bodies is a testament to the fundamental forces that govern our world.

Orbital speed of the planets of the solar system

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