- #1
nishantve1
- 76
- 1
So let's consider the moon its rotating around the Earth in a fixed orbit, its moving at a velocity say v so it possesses a kinetic energy 1/2 mv2 . the gravitational force between the Earth and the moon is also present which attracts the moon towards the Earth . My question is does the moon has a gravitational potential energy of mg where m is the mass of the moon and g is the value of gravitational acceleration in the space ? What role does this potential energy play, the kinetic energy keeps the moon moving and the centripetal force mv2/r keeps it in its orbit . So where does potential energy blends in ? Is this energy responsible for keeping the moon bounded to the Earth ? If not then what energy keeps the moon bounded to Earth ?
Thanks in advance
Thanks in advance