If the Earth wasn't around would....

[marshallfever]

If the Earth suddenly disappeared, what would happen to the Moon? Since Gravity doesn't exist in space, the Moon wouldn't fall would it? How could it when there's no sense of up down, left and right in space??

My brother asked me this question and i told him, it would probably float in space. He asked his science teacher and the guy told him the moon would fall indefinitely, it would fall down in a straight line indefinitely.

Now is that true? I'm pretty sure someone you guys here are more informed about this sort of thing then his science teacher.

[Defel]

Re: If the Earth wasn't around would....

I would assume that it would continue in the trajectory it was going at the time the Earth disappeared until it was affected by some other force.

[superjames1992]

Re: If the Earth wasn't around would....

I'm not totally sure, but I would tend to think that it would start orbiting the sun. It couldn't go straight down because there's no way that could happen, but it would be technically be falling around the sun indefinitely, which is what orbiting is.

[SqueakyD]

Re: If the Earth wasn't around would....

I also agree that the moon would eventually orbit around the Sun on it's own. The thing that could make it interesting is the initial orbit that the moon already has around the Earth. I think that at the sudden disappearance of the Earth, the moon would be launched on it's tangent, then eventually get pulled in by the Sun... So the path the moon might take around the Sun would be elliptical.

Then again I know nothing about physics or astronomy.

[auburntigersfan]

Re: If the Earth wasn't around would....

I also agree that the moon would eventually orbit around the Sun on it's own. The thing that could make it interesting is the initial orbit that the moon already has around the Earth. I think that at the sudden disappearance of the Earth, the moon would be launched on it's tangent, then eventually get pulled in by the Sun... So the path the moon might take around the Sun would be elliptical.

Then again I know nothing about physics or astronomy.

I think this is about as close to correct as we're gonna get.

[trobinson97]

Re: If the Earth wasn't around would....

I try not to think about the Earth disappearing for you guys' sakes, since it's existence is directly tied to my imagination.

[SqueakyD]

Re: If the Earth wasn't around would....

I try not to think about the Earth disappearing for you guys' sakes, since it's existence is directly tied to my imagination.

I tried not to as well, but I just assumed that the OP's brother is probably considering building a Death Star.

[p_rushing]

Re: If the Earth wasn't around would....

Sorry but you, your brother, and teacher are flat out wrong about gravity. Gravity exist in space, just as it exists on the earth. That's the only way something can orbit something else. The moon is trapped in the earth's gravitational pull. If the earth disappears the moon would then be free to travel on a straight line from is current point. Where it ends up would depend on where it was at when the earth disappeared and where the other planets are in relation. If it traveled close enough to another planet, it could become trapped in an orbit around it or merely be pulled off course slightly.

Most likely it would end up in the sun as its mass is not large enough if it traveled to close to the sun to keep it from being pulled into the sun. If it was moving away from the sun at the time, it would most likely end up leaving the solar system.

[daflyboys]

Re: If the Earth wasn't around would....

Aliens would gather from all parts as this would be the largest distribution of cheese in the history of the universe.

[MC Fatigue]

Re: If the Earth wasn't around would....

I don't think anyone can say "this would happen", because no one knows.

I think what we need to do is build a multi-billion dollar machine that simulates space and gravitational pull and then test this crap out... That would be a great way to spend some money.

[snepp]

Re: If the Earth wasn't around would....

I don't think anyone can say "this would happen", because no one knows.

I think what we need to do is build a multi-billion dollar machine that simulates space and gravitational pull and then test this crap out... That would be a great way to spend some money.

If Einstein could do all of his spatial calculations with pen and paper I'm sure somebody could manage.

[OSUFan_88]

Re: If the Earth wasn't around would....

If the Earth wasn't around, I think I have bigger problems than finding out what happens with the moon.

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: If the Earth wasn't around would....

This would be great discussion

[GSW]

Re: If the Earth wasn't around would....

This would be great discussion

i'd much rather play videogames.

[GSW]

Re: If the Earth wasn't around would....

on a side note i tihnk it's pretty crazy how these scientific facts are used to suggest "order" in our universe, but then they try and turn them around to suggest all this order just happend by chance.

pretty wild.