# Do objects move in 2 directions at once?

If a velocity vector of an object can be divided into an x and y component relative to a second object's position, and both objects have gravity that attracts both objects to each other. We then know that the object is not moving in a straight path. How is the object able to move in 2 directions at once(x and y component of velocity). If you infinitely slowed down time to observe the movement of the object, would you see short frames where the object is only moving only vertically, then moving only horizontally, and alternating between both? Can someone explain the physics behind why what I'm saying is inaccurate.

p.s I just started learning physics (gr 11), so I might not understand extremely complex explanations.

• The real world doesn't have $(x,y)$ coordinates. They're just there as a way of labelling the direction something is moving, but that something doesn't have to be moving on a literal grid. – jacob1729 May 15 '19 at 16:33
• Rotate your X and Y axes such that the motion seems to be along either of them, and you'll interpret it as moving along only one direction – Eagle May 15 '19 at 17:05