pHet Simulation to explore orbits and gravitational forces
WARM-UP:


What do the blue arrows indicate?
Compare the size of Earth and the Sun.
What happens to the blue arrows when you make this adjustment?
What does the gray line represent?
Which object orbits the other?
Compare the size of the Sun, Earth, and Moon.
What does the purple line represent?
Why does Earth have a circular path while the Moon has a "flower-shaped" path?
Compare the size of Earth and the Moon.
Which object orbits around the other?
What do you observe about its motion?
Increase the mass of the Moon to its maximum. What do you observe about the motion of Earth now?
What do you observe about the motion of the Earth-Moon system?
Why do you think this movement is happening?
Compare the size of Earth and the satellite.
Which objet orbits around the other?
Turn off Gravity. What do you observe?
How do you think astronomers can determine the gravitational force between two celestial objects without measuring it directly?
What do you think this means?