Elliptical Orbit Greetings: Exploring Gravitational Force

In summary, the conversation discusses the concept of objects traveling in elliptical orbits due to the force of gravity acting as a centripetal force. The parabolic path that an object follows when thrown in a straight line is actually a part of the larger elliptical orbit, with the center of the Earth being one of the foci points. The discussion also touches on whether the changing magnitude of the force can still be considered a centripetal force.
  • #1
xailer
23
0
greetings

If we throw an object in straight line this objects travels in parabolic path until it hits the ground.
But in fact this parabola is only a part of an ellipse that object would travel in and center of the Earth is one of the foci points

I understand that object can circle around the Earth with certain speed due to gravitational force acting as centripetal force.

But why does object travel in elliptical orbit?

Could we still call gravitational force that causes this a centripetal force?

thank you
 
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  • #3
thanx

So basicly you could still call a force acting on object going in elliptical motion a centripetal force, even if it is changing its magnitude?
 

1. What is an elliptical orbit?

An elliptical orbit is a type of orbit in which an object travels around another object in an oval-shaped path. This type of orbit is characterized by varying distances between the two objects, as opposed to a circular orbit where the distance remains constant.

2. How does gravitational force affect an elliptical orbit?

Gravitational force is the force of attraction between two objects with mass. In an elliptical orbit, the gravitational force between the two objects causes them to continuously pull towards each other, resulting in the curved path of the orbit.

3. What is the shape of an elliptical orbit?

An elliptical orbit is shaped like an ellipse, with two focal points at each end. The object being orbited (such as a planet or star) is located at one of the focal points, while the other focal point is empty.

4. How is the speed of an object in an elliptical orbit affected by gravitational force?

The speed of an object in an elliptical orbit is not constant, as it is affected by the varying strength of gravitational force at different points in the orbit. The object will move faster when it is closer to the object being orbited, and slower when it is further away.

5. What are some real-life examples of elliptical orbits?

Some real-life examples of objects in elliptical orbits include planets orbiting around the sun, moons orbiting around planets, and comets orbiting around the sun. Artificial satellites also often have elliptical orbits around the Earth.

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