Total Orbital Energy is the sum of Gravitational and Kinetic energy. How does the fact that the total orbital energy stays the same explain the stable motion of Earth around the Sun.
Total Orbital Energy is the sum of Gravitational and Kinetic energy. How does the fact that the total orbital energy stays the same explain the stable motion of Earth around the Sun.
Explaination :
The stable motion of Earth around the Sun is due to the conservation of total orbital energy, which is the sum of gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy. According to the law of conservation of energy, the total energy of a system remains constant unless acted upon by an external force. In the case of the Earth-Sun system, there is no external force acting on the system, so the total energy of the system remains constant.
The gravitational force between the Earth and the Sun provides the centripetal force that keeps the Earth in orbit around the Sun. As the Earth moves in its orbit, it gains kinetic energy due to its motion, which is balanced by a decrease in its gravitational potential energy. As the Earth moves farther away from the Sun, its gravitational potential energy increases, but its kinetic energy decreases, so the total orbital energy remains constant.
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