Recent content by Contadoren11

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    Graduate Trouble understanding angular momentum in relation to orbits

    Thanks so much!
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    Graduate Trouble understanding angular momentum in relation to orbits

    They are, no? Hence the massive number of Trojans in Jupiter's orbit.
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    Correlation between orbit eccentricity and mechanical energy

    Hm, alright, I began to suspect as much. Thanks! Now that I've got you, in case you know your Lagrangian points... -- I'm having trouble understanding the stability of the stable Lagrangian points (L_4 and L_5); Wikipedia explains that if an object in the L_4 or L_5 of a planet is pushed closer...
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    Correlation between orbit eccentricity and mechanical energy

    I should have been more clear, my apologies (truly!): I've been asked specifically for planetary orbits; I know that for E>0 and E=0 the curve becomes a hyperbola and parabola, respectively, but that is hardly relevant for planets.
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    Correlation between orbit eccentricity and mechanical energy

    Homework Statement I have been tasked with showing "how the mechanical energy of a planet determines the shape of its orbit", and I cannot for the life of me make sense of it. I've run into a formula, see below, but I'm not sure how to interpret it nor if it even applies in my case at all (as E...
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    Undergrad Quick question on orbital eccentricity and mechanical energy

    Hi I'm really at a loss: How should this formula be interpreted? Is e simply dependent on the specific mechanical energy of, say, a planet in orbit around the Sun as well as its angular momentum?
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    Graduate Trouble understanding angular momentum in relation to orbits

    Hi, Two questions. 1) I'm having trouble understanding the stability of the stable Lagrangian points (L_4 and L_5); Wikipedia explains that if an object in the L_4 or L_5 of a planet is pushed closer towards the common center of gravity of the Sun and the planet, the increased speed that comes...
    • Contadoren11
    • Thread
    • Angular Angular momentum Momentum Orbits Relation
    • Replies: 10
    • Forum: Mechanics
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    Quick question on Newton, gravity and planetary movement

    Of course! Thanks a lot for the elaboration.
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    Quick question on Newton, gravity and planetary movement

    Hm. So the force exerted on the Earth by the Sun would be considered negative as well, or? (Also, I don't understand what you mean by "so tends to reduce r"). I reckon I get the constants thing.
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    Quick question on Newton, gravity and planetary movement

    Gah, I messed up - forgot to put r^2 rather than just r in the formula for a_r.
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    Quick question on Newton, gravity and planetary movement

    Homework Statement Hi, I've been tasked with showing that the length of vector F_gravity is inversely proportional with radius squared (i.e. |F_vector|=c/r^2) and is central, i.e. consistently directed toward the same point. Apparently, this is the same as (<=>) the acceleration of a particle...