How does Earth’s gravity keep the Moon in orbit?

Earth’s gravity keeps the Moon in orbit by providing the necessary inward force to prevent it from moving in a straight line, as dictated by Newton’s law of gravity. According to inertia, an object in motion will continue in a straight line unless acted upon by an external force; Earth’s gravitational pull acts as this constant inward force, continuously accelerating the Moon toward Earth and maintaining its curved, elliptical path.1

While it is common to describe the Moon as orbiting Earth, it is more accurate to state that both bodies orbit a common center of mass known as the barycenter. This point is located inside Earth, approximately 4,700 km from its center. The gravitational attraction between the two bodies is mutual, and their orbital motion is governed by Kepler’s laws of planetary motion. Over time, tidal friction has influenced this system, causing the Moon to slowly recede from Earth while ensuring it keeps the same face permanently turned toward the planet.2314