What happens when an object achieves orbit, according to the text's analogy?
Answer
It follows a curve toward the ground, but the Earth's surface curves away beneath it at the exact same rate.
Orbit is described as throwing an object so fast that its downward curve due to gravity matches the rate at which the Earth's surface curves away beneath it, causing it to continuously fall toward but miss the planet.
Related Questions
What is the primary, persistent misunderstanding regarding gravity in space?What is the fundamental definition of gravity described in the text?Why do astronauts appear weightless while outside the ISS?What happens when an object achieves orbit, according to the text's analogy?What phenomenon is actually observed when someone sees a 'falling star'?Why is the idea of a true star 'falling' onto Earth physically absurd?What causes the apparent rising and setting of stars observed from Earth's surface?How does gravity facilitate the initial formation of a star?In the context of stellar evolution, what represents the ultimate 'fall' dictated by mass and gravity?What dictates the complex orbital paths of stars within a galaxy like the Milky Way?How can the aftermath of a supernova contribute to the creation of new stars?