- #1
DiracPool
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- 516
Just a thought experiment. Imagine you made scale models of the sun and the planets with the relational standard of measure being a sun the size of a basketball. Now assume that the sun and the planets were all built to scale with the appropriate diameters, densities and masses of the actual 8 planets plus the sun.
Now, take this model solar system out into the flatest intergalactic space you can find and set the model-scale planets moving about the basketball sun at a scale velocity relational to the actual planets of the solar system.
My question is, would you actually get a working scale model of the solar system in this scenario. More, generally, I guess my question is are the celestial mechanics of the solar system scale invariant? Or are the dynamics dependent on scale, so you wouldn't get an exact replica of the actual solar system with the scale model.
Also, assume two different scenarios, one whereby the model system is controlled for by assuming it has the same scaling of solar wind effects and magnetic field properties of the actual solar system, and one where all you control for is the diameter, density, mass and velocity of the model spheres.
Now, take this model solar system out into the flatest intergalactic space you can find and set the model-scale planets moving about the basketball sun at a scale velocity relational to the actual planets of the solar system.
My question is, would you actually get a working scale model of the solar system in this scenario. More, generally, I guess my question is are the celestial mechanics of the solar system scale invariant? Or are the dynamics dependent on scale, so you wouldn't get an exact replica of the actual solar system with the scale model.
Also, assume two different scenarios, one whereby the model system is controlled for by assuming it has the same scaling of solar wind effects and magnetic field properties of the actual solar system, and one where all you control for is the diameter, density, mass and velocity of the model spheres.