How does centripetal force affect the orbit of planets?

all objects in this universe are attracted towards each other and we call that force of attraction gravity. just imagine there are two balls in your hands, one big and other one small. the big ball is earth while the small one is moon. now join both with a piece of thread such that the two balls can be separated from each other only by cutting the thread. now come out of your imaginative world and accept that in real life also the moon and earth are joined to each other not by apiece of thread but by centripetal force if this force is removed both earth and moon will fly off in a line tangent to their circular path.

now i hope you have understood this concept.