Recent content by Hans Stricker

Consider the problem of three bodies two of which having mass M, one of them having mass m. Body m is in the middle between the other two, coupled to them by two equal linear springs in rest. Now fix the two bodies M and move body m for a small amount perpendicular to the connection line. Now...

Please consider a homogenous, but not constant field, for example given by mgh2. Two bodies connected by a rigid rod falling free will start rotating when the field mgh2 is suddenly switched on, except they are at the same height at this moment. I guess this case can be calculated easily...

Sorry for any confusion, but I am dedicatedly interested in the non-mgh case (where separation cannot be performed): I wonder under which circumstances there can be a closed solution nevertheless.

Hello Petr, thanks, but I am not quite sure how to understand your answer. You distinguish four cases: In the case the two masses form a rigid body, conservation of angular momentum says they rotate at all times the way they rotate at the beginning. In the case of a central potential...

I wonder about the general solvability of the problem of two point masses, interacting via a central force, exposed to an external field. Some special cases seem easy: - interaction by a rigid rod - any interaction, but the field and interaction forces "decoupled" (example: two...