How do planets get the energy to orbit the sun?

Answer 1

I'm not an expert, but I'll give this a stab... Once an object is in orbit around another it will continue to orbit almost indefinitely because in the vacuum of space there is nothing to cause friction / drag on the orbiting body and thus slow it down. Technically, an orbiting object (once in a stable orbit) is in free-fall, moving at just the correct speed so that: * It doesn't fly off into empty space and * The gravitational pull of the object it is orbiting does not pull it out of orbit, causing the two objects to collide. If the object was not in orbit around another object it would continue in a straight line until affected by the gravity of another object. In reality, all objects in the universe affect each other gravitationally. Eventually once a stable orbit has been established (where eventually means over a period of millions or billions of years) gravitational +/or tidal forces will cause an orbit to decay, with the orbiting object either: * Colliding with the body it orbits, or

* Breaking free of the object it orbits and traveling off into space. Or basically, it retrieves its energy from the force of gravity as the earth orbits the sun.

Answer 2

Answer #1:

An electron held within a bound state together with the nucleus of an atom possesses a certain amount of kinetic energy in its lowest energy state (ground state) which allows it to exist. Without this energy, it would not have its usual fermion-like characteristics...and would cease to behave like an electron. The ground-state energy also gives it a particular wavefunction, which determines the probability "cloud" in which you can find it around the nucleus of an atom. Debunking the Bohr model (except for the energy levels [shells] that it describes), quantum mechanics has proven that one cannot determine both the position and momentum of a particle (the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle). So, we use this probability cloud, defined by the electron's wavefunction at a particular energy level, to determine the shapes of "orbitals" in which we can find an electron around the nucleus of an atom. As the electron absorbs certain quantities of energy (from photons), this wavefunction changes shape to one of greater frequency and/or amplitude...matching the increase in energy. This, in turn, changes the shape/size of the orbitals in which we can expect to find the electron. The fundamental "modes" in which we find different levels of electrons are usually called principal quantum levels or "shells". All-in-all, the "energy" that gives the electron is particular "cloud" shape (wavefunction) around the nucleus is exactly that...energy...also called "quanta" or "photons" (which are the force carriers -- bosons -- of the electromagnetic force).

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Answer2:

The electron energy to orbit around the nucleus comes from the Momentum Energy, cmV = cP, the so-called Dark Energy. The electrons motion creates momentum mv and vector energy cmV.

The Atomic energy is W = -vh'/r + cP = [-vh'/r,cP]. This is Quaternion Energy the sum of a scalar/Potential energy -vh'/r and a vector energy cP.

The Force is F= XW = [d/dr,DEL][-vh'/r,cP]

F = [vp/r -cDEL.P, cdP/dr + vp/r 1R + cDELxP]

The orbit motion is cDELxP, the Curl of the Momentum energy, cP.

The Divergence of the Momentum Energy cDEL.P = -cp/r cos(P) is the centrifugal force, that prevents the electron from falling into the nucleus, and stabilizing the orbit, vp/r = cp/r cos(P).

The Momentum energy cP is the dominant energy in the atom, W = -vp + cP.

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Answer #3:

If you want to tear an electron away from its atom, you need to provide some

energy to do it ... rub the balloon, shine ultraviolet light at metal, supply electrical

energy, etc. What does this tell you ?

If you need to provide energy to free an electron from an atom, that means

that sometime way back, when the atom formed, free electrons lost energy

when they became bound to the atom.

From that point forward, we're all familiar with the concept that it doesn't take

a continuous supply of additional energy to stay in orbit ... like the moon, the

planets, and the TV satellites. Granted, it's a bit more complicated than that

when the orbiting bodies are electrically charged, but the basic fact remains ...

when a free electron falls into orbit in an atom, it loses some of the energy

that it had when it was still free, and it doesn't need any additional energy

unless it wants to leave the atom. Much like marriage, if you will.

Answer 3

It doesn't take any energy for a planet to orbit the Sun. There is only a tiny amount of friction to overcome.

Answer 4

No energy is required for this. Energy is only involved for a change in the energy level - like when the electron goes to a higher energy level.