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To: Ilaine who wrote (7849)	8/28/2001 2:00:32 AM
From: Wildstar	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 74559

>>>Let me try it this way. I drive an SUV, and you drive a VW Beetle. Both of us decide to go for a spin side by side on the same road. It takes more power to move my SUV than your Beetle, because it is heavier. The strength of gravity is directly proportionate to the mass of the two objects - between my SUV and the earth, and between your Beetle and the earth (not to mention friction). You get much better mileage.<<< I would say the force created by gravity, not the strength of gravity (which is a vague term), is directly proportional to the mass of the two objects. However, for a satellite in orbit, there is another force acting on the satellite - the force created by traveling in a circular path. This force is also directly proportional to the object's mass and points away from the earth. Therefore, mass is no longer a factor. Here's my analogy. When you ride a rollercoaster in 360 vertical loop, why do you not fall when you are upside-down at the height of the loop? Because the force created by the circular path of the roller coaster that points up is greater than or equal to the force created by gravity that points down. It doesn't matter if people of varying masses ride the roller coaster. The only thing that matters is the speed of the roller coaster. If mass mattered, then some larger people would fall out at the top if they were big enough while other smaller people remained in their seats. You could place a cannonball in one seat and a tennis ball in the other seat and either they both fall out at the top or neither do, depending on the speed. It is impossible for one to fall and the other to stay. Mass is not a factor.