The Path of the Moon The Earth and Moon exert gravitational forces on one another as they...

The Path of the Moon The Earth and Moon exert gravitational forces on one another as they orbit the Sun. As a result, the path they follow is not the simple circular orbit you would expect if either one orbited the Sun alone. Occasionally you will see a suggestion that the Moon follows a path like a sine wave centered on a circulai’ path, as in the upper part of Figure 12-20. This is incorrect. The Moon’s path is qualitatively like that shown in the lower part of Figure 12-20. Explain. (Refer to Conceptual Question 12.)

FIGURE 12-20