Why Do Moons Orbit Jupiter?
Moons orbit Jupiter for the same reason planets orbit the sun. An object of lesser mass is always attracted to an object of greater mass (so long as they’re close enough to each other) due to gravitational pull. Because Jupiter is so massive, many objects are pulled into it. Asteroids, for example, are constantly being ‘sucked in’ (for lack of a better term) by the planet, because of its immense gravitational pull. Moons, on the other hand, have enough mass to resist being pulled down into Jupiter. Technically, this is known as ‘inertia’ — and object’s ability to resist motion. The moons that orbit Jupiter are attracted to the planet through the force of gravity, which is why they stay in orbit. They don’t get ‘sucked in’ the planet because they have enough mass to resist inward motion.
