Question

As a heavy rock falls due to the force of Earth's gravity, does the rock also exert force on the Earth as it falls? Explain why or why not.

Answer 1

Answer:

The earth does fall down. In fact, the earth is constantly falling down. It's a good thing too, because that is what keeps the earth from flying out of the solar system under its own momentum. Gravity is a centrally attractive force, meaning that objects in a gravitational field always fall towards the source of the gravity. Gravity is caused by mass, so objects with more mass, such as planets and stars, exert a lot of gravity. The earth and everything on it is constantly falling towards the sun because of the sun's immense gravity. This statement is not a metaphor or a play on words. The earth is literally falling towards the sun under its immense gravity.