All Questions
9
questions
0
votes
1
answer
87
views
What about Newton's potential prevents singularities in the two-body problem?
The solutions to the gravitational two-body problem can be described by conic sections.
In particular, two abstract point masses don't collapse into each other (that is, do not get arbitrarily close ...
- 1
-1
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Why doesn't the Earth slowly collapse into the Sun? [duplicate]
I understand that the sun exerts a force on the earth and that if that was the only force exerted on the earth then the earth would have already crashed into the sun a long time ago.
The reason the ...
1
vote
1
answer
147
views
How to understand $L_4$ and $L_5$ Lagrange points gravity balance? [duplicate]
It's relative easy to understand gravity balance of Lagrange points $L_1$, $L_2$ and $L_3$. But I am having a hard time to understand how a body would be "kind of" balanced out on Lagrange points $L_4$...
- 11
7
votes
2
answers
2k
views
How are the Lagrange points determined?
According to Hyper Physics, there are 5 equilibrium, or Lagrange points of the Earth-Moon system and only 2 of them are said to represent stable equilibrium points.
This made me think if there is an ...
user171347
1
vote
2
answers
75
views
Why do the Lagrange points lie only on the orbital plane of the two co-rotating bodies?
I could not find a detailed explanation of the fact that Lagrange points lie only on the orbital plane of the 2 co-rotating bodies. As per the wikipedia page calculations are here.
There is no ...
- 3,616
3
votes
3
answers
15k
views
Gravitational Null Point between Earth and Moon
I need help finding the gravitational null point point between the Earth and the Moon, the point beyond which you start falling towards Moon. I am having difficulty in taking into account the orbiting ...
- 143
5
votes
2
answers
4k
views
Intuitive understanding of Lagrange point L3
I learned about Lagrange points today and the physics behind L1, L2, L4 and L5 make intuitive sense to me. But I'm stumped by L3.
Wikipedia says "L3 in the Sun–Earth system exists on the opposite ...
- 53
6
votes
2
answers
3k
views
Gravitational potential outside Lagrangian points or Lagrange points
The diagram in Why are L4 and L5 lagrangian points stable? shows that the gravitational potential decreases outside the ring of Lagrange points — this image shows it even more clearly:
If I ...
- 1,879
26
votes
7
answers
87k
views
Gravity on the International Space Station
We created a table in my physics class which contained the strength of gravity on different planet and objects in space. At altitude 0 (Earth), the gravitational strength is 100%. On the Moon at ...
- 363