What orbital characteristic is essential for tidal heating to generate substantial friction?
Answer
Eccentricity in the orbit.
The mechanism responsible for generating usable internal heat is tidal heating, which results from the moon being stretched and squeezed rhythmically as it orbits its host planet. This process is critically dependent on orbital mechanics. If a moon were to orbit in a perfectly circular path, the gravitational pull from the planet would remain constant, leading to constant stretching that is non-dissipative, meaning no internal friction or heat generation would occur. Therefore, activity requires eccentricity—a variation in the moon's distance from the planet—which causes the gravitational force to vary, thereby creating the necessary flexing and generating heat via internal friction.
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