Calculating centripetal force involves using a specific formula that relates the mass of an object, its velocity, and the radius of the circular path it follows. Let's say an object with a mass m ...

Since energy is conserved (the gravitational force is conservative), we can use the work/energy equation ... green velocity vector is shown along with the acceleration in terms of its tangential and ...

What keeps each of these orbits happening rather than having us go travelling off away from the sun, is something called centripetal force ... the directions of the velocity and acceleration ...