I made an N-body simulation program

In summary, the programmer has created a program that solves the three-body gravity problem. later, they gained an interest in the underlying physics and expanded the program to solve problems involving both electromagnetic and gravitational interactions.
  • #1
Random Physics Fan
1
7
My little project - 3body simulator started as a programming exercise, which I attempted to make a program that solves the famous 3-body gravity problem using numerical integration.
Later I gained interest in the underlying physics and expanded the program to solve N-body problems involving both electromagnetic and gravitational interactions. I also replaced Newtonian mechanics with special relativistic mechanics (as for the model of gravity, general relativity is too challenging for me, so I used an approximation under the weak field limit which was Lorentz-invariant).
You can do all sorts of weird simulation such as the following:

Object 1 (e-) and object 2 (p+) form a hydrogen atom under the classical Bohr's model, with n = 10; object 3 is a hypothetical microscopic blackhole with the mass of the Moon, placed 10 mm under the hydrogen atom.

Object 1:
mass: 9.11e-31 / charge: -1.60e-19
position: 5.29e-9,0,0 / velocity: 0,218500,0

Object 2:
mass: 1.67e-27 / charge: 1.60e-19
position: 0,0,0 / velocity: 0,0,0

Object 3:
mass: 7.35e22 / charge: 0
position: 0,0,-0.01 / velocity: 0,0,0

Duration of simulation: 1e-12 / number of steps: 1000
-> Use advanced option and turn on scientific notation (to show the position of the electron)

(Note: the Schwarzschild radius of the blackhole is about 0.11mm (<<10mm), so general relativistic effects like gravitational time dilation are insignificant.)

Please try out my little program and you comments are appreciated!
 
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  • #2
Hi,

Congratulation. I did an N-body simulation (yours is N=3) some time ago. It is really not easy nor it is dead, in my eyes. Perhaps you are interested in the following material: N-Body

Have fun!
 
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  • #3
Great work @Random Physics Fan and @Omega0

While I can't comment on the accuracy of your simulations, from a programming standpoint, I'm sure others can benefit from what you folks did.

As an aside, there are also some good simulations at the Open Source Physics website done in Java using the OSP library of simulation routines.

www.compadre.org/osp

And with that said, its a good time to close this thread.

Jedi
 

FAQ: I made an N-body simulation program

1. How does your N-body simulation program work?

My N-body simulation program uses numerical methods to calculate the gravitational interactions between a group of particles. It takes into account the mass, position, and velocity of each particle to simulate their movements over time.

2. What is the purpose of your N-body simulation program?

The purpose of my N-body simulation program is to model and study the behavior of systems with multiple interacting bodies, such as galaxies, star clusters, and planetary systems. It can also be used to make predictions about the future movements of these systems.

3. What sets your N-body simulation program apart from others?

My N-body simulation program uses advanced algorithms and techniques to accurately and efficiently calculate the gravitational interactions between particles. It also allows for customization of parameters and the addition of external forces, making it a versatile tool for studying various systems.

4. How accurate is your N-body simulation program?

The accuracy of my N-body simulation program depends on the precision of the input parameters and the chosen numerical methods. With proper settings and calculations, it can produce results that closely match real-world observations and predictions.

5. Can your N-body simulation program be used for educational purposes?

Yes, my N-body simulation program can be used as an educational tool to demonstrate the principles of gravity and orbital mechanics. It can also be used to visualize and better understand complex systems in astronomy and physics.

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