1. Gravity: Earth's gravity pulls on the Moon, constantly trying to pull it closer. This is the primary force keeping the Moon in orbit.
2. Inertia: The Moon is constantly moving forward due to its own inertia, which is its tendency to keep moving in a straight line at a constant speed.
The balance: The Moon's inertia wants to make it fly off in a straight line, but Earth's gravity constantly pulls it back towards the planet. This tug-of-war between these forces results in the Moon's curved path, known as an orbit.
Imagine throwing a ball horizontally. It will travel in a slightly curved path before hitting the ground. The Moon is basically doing the same thing, but instead of hitting the ground, it continuously misses Earth due to its forward momentum.
