This is it.

[cwes99_03]

Interestingly, anything long and thin placed in an orbit fairly quickly orients itself to point toward the center of orbit.

 

I believe it has to do with tidal forces. And since I don't want to post anything that I don't research, I was right. Did a google search for orbit tidal force and found the following page. tidal force

 

Anything long and thin also tends to fall toward earth heavy side down. Does this not mean that mass has something to do with orbit? After all mass has something to do with tidal force.

 

Sorry don't have time to research that one, right now. Anyone else?

[cwes99_03]

I'm still a firm believer that these people became who they were not through genetics but through experience.

 

What I think an interesting experiment on this subject could be is the development of two identical twins with completely different environments, then measure the white/gray matter ratio. Of course this is a sort of nazi-esque type of science, as it would require intentionally trying to promote the development of one twin while reducing the other to a sniveling fool. Highly unethical.

 

But we drift off topic, that is to say if the topic remains unfinished. Arkain?

[CraigD]

Interestingly, anything long and thin placed in an orbit fairly quickly orients itself to point toward the center of orbit. :) Can you explain this phenomena, without resorting to an internet search? :)

Hints:

• Rather than an object in orbit, consider an object in free-fall. A long, thin object in free-fall will orient itself to point down.
  
• Consider the object to consist of 2 masses, separated by an effectively massless tether (big hint there – the masses need not be connected rigidly)
  
• The only equations needed are fundamental mechanics (F=M*A, V=A*T+V0, etc.) and Universal Gravitation (F=G*M1*M2/D^2)
  
• The explanation is not complicated, and requires no post 18th century Physics
  

[Qfwfq]

Rather than an object in orbit, consider an object in free-fall.

"In orbit" does mean "in free fall"! :)

 

As a hint, I would mention the gradient of the field, it's essential. Are those two masses subject to the exact same force?

[cwes99_03]

As I posted above. It's the TIDAL EFFECT, which is caused by the gradient of the gravitational field.

[CraigD]

Re: Re a gravity puzzle

As I posted above. It's the TIDAL EFFECT, which is caused by the gradient of the gravitational field.

Correct - The orientation of a long-thin body to point downward is a slightly is usually known as “tidal stabilization”, and is a “tidal effect”.

The question,

Interestingly, anything long and thin placed in an orbit fairly quickly orients itself to point toward the center of orbit. Can you explain this phenomena, without resorting to an internet search?

, however, is asking for an explanation of the phenomena in simple mechanical terms (using formulae), not the term for it.