Moon falls toward Earth center by Earth gravity {free fall}|. Gravity is centripetal force. Orbital speed moves Moon tangentially in orbit. Tangential movement accelerates Moon away from Earth along radius. This acceleration is centrifugal force. Centrifugal force and centripetal force are equal, and motion rates away from and toward center are equal, so Moon maintains approximately same distance from Earth.
weightless
Moon in orbit has no weight, because centrifugal force equals centripetal force, just as astronauts in orbit are weightless. If jumping from height, in free fall, one feels weightless, because no force is opposing fall.
Physical Sciences>Physics>Dynamics>Rotation>Orbit
5-Physics-Dynamics-Rotation-Orbit
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Date Modified: 2022.0224