Solution of the Two Body Problem

[Ed Quanta]

I have been trying to understand why the three body problem is unsolvable for some time now. But I realized that it would probably help to see a closed form solution to the two body problem first. I was wondering if anyone can direct me to such a solution via link or just shed some light on the topic. Peace.

 

[HackaB]

Try scienceworlds's Two-Body Problem entry. It's the second thing that came up on google.

 

[dextercioby]

It's done in Landau's text on Mechanics,too.

Daniel.

 

[pervect]

I have been trying to understand why the three body problem is unsolvable for some time now.

Have you gotten as far as Brun's theorem?

 

[Ed Quanta]

What's Brun's Theorem got to do with it?
I just looked up what it is.

 

[pervect]

What's Brun's Theorem got to do with it?
I just looked up what it is.

http://scienceworld.wolfram.com/physics/BrunsTheorem.html
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0521358833/?tag=pfamazon01-20

 

[unihiekka]

Actually, the three-body problem has an infinite-series solution, as derived originally by Sundman. The solution does, however, converge extremely slowly, so that in practise it is virtually useless. Take a look on the Wikipedia page: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N-body_problem#Sundman.27s_theorem_for_the_3-body_problem