Spiraling Towards the Center: Solving the Orbit Equation

  • Thread starter Thread starter UrbanXrisis
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Center Orbit
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
2 replies · 3K views
UrbanXrisis
Messages
1,192
Reaction score
1
So i solved the orbit equation:

[tex]\frac{d^2}{d {\theta} ^2} \frac{1}{r} =0[/tex]

the solution is:

[tex]\frac{1}{r} = A \theta +B[/tex]

I am supposed to concude that this particle will sprial towards the center but I don't see that through this equation. could someone explain this to me? thanks
 
Physics news on Phys.org
the original equation is:

[tex]\frac{d^2}{d {\theta} ^2} \frac{1}{r} + (1- \frac{ \mu k}{l^2}) \frac{1}{r} =0[/tex]

describing the motion when the effective porential = 0, i get

[tex]\frac{d^2}{d {\theta} ^2} \frac{1}{r} =0[/tex]

so i was wondering how [tex]\frac{1}{r} = A \theta +B[/tex] tells me that I am sprial towards the center?